Unforeseen Consequences
by Kitkat3108
Summary: It wasn't supposed to be this way. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it wasn't this. How was she supposed to save lives when she was being held captive, her words considered a joke or insult? The King Under the Mountain may not deserve his life anymore, but she would save it for him anyway, whether he liked it or not. (SLIGHT REWRITE)
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.** (SLIGHT REWRITE) Woohoo for another story! This one will likely be shorter than my other stories, but will still have a few chapters to it. 😊 I had a dream about part of this, and have been itching to write Dark Thorin, don't ask me why. Don't worry, he won't stay bad for too, terribly long. Thank you for reading, and I hope you like it!  
 **Disclaimer:** I do not own anything except original characters and plot points.

It wasn't supposed to have gone this way. She hadn't escaped her prison, and traveled hundreds of miles just to be held captive again. Then again, she hadn't really known what to expect from the dwarves. It was known among all races how suspicious they were, especially of magic. So, she supposed she shouldn't have been too surprised when they greeted her with distrust, not believing a word of her warnings. Seizing her and locking her in a room seemed a bit extreme, however.

Danica was an oracle, and had been sold to the men of the east not long after she'd had her first vision at five. Though she had been very little, she could still remember that day vividly. Screaming and crying as strange men pulled her from where she clutched at her mother's skirts. Since then, the men, and two sorcerers had kept her hidden away in the far east, training her, and using her visions for their own, evil purposes. There was no hiding her thoughts, though she had tried many times, for one of the sorcerers could read your thoughts as others read books, just by touching your skin. It had been torture, having him go through her dreams and thoughts every morning and night, punishing any rebellious thoughts by using her deepest fears against her. She had thought it couldn't get any worse, until she reached puberty. The sorcerers had made sure she learned that coupling was not nearly as pleasant as her hormones tried to tell her.

And yet, she had not been able to stop dreaming about the King Under the Mountain. Nor had she been able to control her feelings for him. She'd never met him, but somehow got butterflies every time she thought of him. Though she hadn't been able to keep track of the years, she knew she'd been dreaming of him most of her life. There were times he was all that kept her going. So, when she had a vision of him and his family dying, she knew she had to do something. It had taken nearly all of her strength, but she managed to hide her thoughts, and escape.

When she had first arrived at the mountain, she had thought she'd been too late. Then a couple of them had greeted her. Balin and Bofur, she thought their names were. They had seemed nice enough, but waved away her warnings. Just as they were sending her to Dale, their king had walked up. Thorin. She had barely been able to breathe at the sight of him, until she realized that something was off. Still, she gave her warnings and advice as best she could. His eyes had narrowed when she mentioned the visions.

"Can you tell me where the Arkenstone is?"

At first, she had just stared at him. This was nothing like the noble dwarf she'd seen in her dreams. Disappointment seeped through her, and settled into her stomach, making her feel sick.

"I do not know where the Arkenstone is, and what I need to warn you about is far more important,"

He had shaken his head. "Nothing is more important. If you are, indeed an oracle, you can find it. You will find it,"

It had been unbelievable, and before she could stop herself, she frowned defiantly. "No,"

That had been her biggest mistake. His face had contorted in anger, and he'd ordered his men to take her. They had been too shocked to move at first, then protested. She had taken the opportunity to run, but dwarves were excellent sprinters, and the king had overtaken her in five strides. With more strength than she had expected, he threw her over his shoulder, and locked her away until she decided to cooperate.

That was a week ago. He had come to see her every day since then, demanding that she find the Arkenstone. Every day, she told him that she didn't know where it was. She did, however, know when the elves and men had reached Dale, and when they would attack. He hadn't believed her, until the first night Dale had been lit with the torches of the survivors. Something in his eyes had changed, then, and she could see him more carefully considering her words.

"Alright, Oracle. What is this vision you had?" he asked.

She was standing next to the fireplace, which had been left cold. A blanket was wrapped tightly around her shoulders, as it had been since she had first arrived in that room.

"I saw a mountain and a river, frozen in ice. The emblems of Durin's folk waved on a flag in the wind. On the opposite side of the river, the flag of Gundabad flew as well. Around them were those of Mirkwood and Dale. A great storm rose between them, destroying many of the lesser banners of soldiers. When the dust settled, Dale and Mirkwood remained hole, while Gundabad lay in tatters beneath Durin's, which was torn in three,"

The king moved further into the room, and she took a step backward, watching him warily. His temper was quick and fierce as dragon fire.

"How does that foretell my death?" he asked, no small amount of condescension in his voice.

"The tearing of the flag meant the deaths of you and your nephews," she explained, but there was no change of expression on his face.

"How do you know this?" he took another step toward her, and she took another one back.

"I have spent my whole life learning how to control and discern my visions. You just need to trust me,"

"I don't," he responded blatantly, eyes narrowing slightly. "A strange woman arrives, claiming to have seen our future, and practically demands that we make peace with those who would rob us blind,"

"It wasn't a demand, I- "her words were cut short when he suddenly advanced, forcing back.

"Make peace, or you will die. That was your message. It sounds much more like a threat to me," the look in his eyes, and tone of his low voice warned her of danger. "You must be some sort of spy sent by Thranduil,"

She shook her head. "I'm not, I promise you. I came from the east," her back hit the wall; there was nowhere for her to retreat to now.

"Tell me where the Arkenstone is, and I may believe you,"

"I've told you already; I. Don't. Know,"

He moved so close, his breath stirred her hair, and pressed his hands against the wall on either side of her head. It was intimidation, pure and simple. "You can control your visions, can you not? Then, look for it,"

Even though she knew it was a bad idea, she closed her eyes, and tried to focus. At first, there was nothing but the feel of his breath, and the heat coming off his skin. Then, a bright light filled her vision, slowly dimming until she saw a stone, more glorious than any she'd seen or imagined. Someone was holding it, the walls of Erebor surrounding them.

"It's here," she said, opening her eyes when the vision faded. His face was closer, and had her heart jumping into her throat.

"We have searched long, and hard, but found no trace of it," he countered.

She took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't about to sentence someone to death. "It is still here. Someone has found it,"

A darkness flashed in his eyes, and one hand shot to her throat, fingers wrapping easily around her neck. "You lie," he growled. "All of my men are loyal, and none would dare cross me,"

Her gaze remained steady. She'd been threatened by worse before. "I cannot explain why they took it, only that they did,"

"Who?" his grip tightened when she remained silent. "Who?!"

Her eyes narrowed now, anger making her both brave and reckless. "I do not know, and will not look again. You can threaten me all you want, Your Majesty, but it will do you no good. I have known torture the likes of which you could never dream of, let alone produce, and killing me would only be a relief. Many times have I wished for death, and never received it. So please, by all means, do your worst,"

For a moment, they just stared each other down, her throat beginning to ache from his grip, but then he let go and studied her.

"I suppose we will just have to try again tomorrow," he said lowly. A knock at the door had him turning, and her jumping. "What is it?" he called.

One of the kinder dwarves, Balin came in. He passed a quick, sympathetic glance to Danica, then spoke.

"A horse is coming this way. I believe it is Bard,"

The king stiffened. "I will be right there,"

After another look Danica's way, the older dwarf took his leave. It took everything she had not to beg him to stay. The king looked back at her, eyes pitiless.

"We will speak again later," he said, then left with a whirl of his cloak.

Danica slid to the floor, and heaved a sigh that puffed her cheeks. This was definitely not what she had bargained for.

 **P.S.** Just a nice, short introduction. I'm working on more, as well as chapters for my current story, "The Witch of Dawn," and have another one in the works! Reviews and comments always appreciated! 😊


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N.** Thank you to everyone who has responded to this story! I'm having a lot of fun writing it, though I'm not completely sure where it will end up. Guess that will a fun journey for all of us. 😊 This chapter, and the one after it have been quite an odyssey for me, since I was having some continuity issues, but I'm keeping better track of it all now.  
 **Likarian:** Yay! Thank you for commenting!  
 **Shetan20:** I'm so glad you like it, and thank you for your comment!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

In his hurry to get to the gate, the king had forgotten to lock Danica's door. At first, she didn't realize it. She had remained on the floor, until the door creaked. Hardly daring to believe it, she quietly made her way forward, and pulled on the handle. Once the door was ajar, she slipped out into the hall. Her shoes echoed against the stone, so she took them off, and padded barefoot. There would be no point in trying to escape, and she didn't want to. But she did want to walk around, without anyone watching her.

The king had allowed her to walk the halls, so long as she had an escort. Quite often, he was her escort. He never spoke much when they walked, but he did watch her. Intently. It had made her so nervous that she'd stopped asking to walk the past couple of days. He was constantly trying to figure her out, and get answers from her. Thus far, she was pretty sure she'd disappointed him. Well, the feeling was mutual. Not like that would matter to anyone.

She paused at the sound of voices, and looked over the railing to see the dwarves gathered at the front gate. The king was talking with someone, but the discussion did not seem to be going well. After turning to look at his men for a moment, the king yelled threats to whomever was on the other side. Danica heard their growl of frustration, then saw a black-haired man riding back to the city of Dale. The familiar, dizzy feeling overwhelmed her, and she had to grab the rail for support. This vision was only a flash, and showed the man, once again in front of the gates, pulling the Arkenstone out from his coat. How did he get it?

When her eyes opened, the hobbit, Bilbo, was confronting the king. Intuition and dread filled her. She had heard the others mention his job as a burglar, and could see how hard he was trying to reason with the king. He must be hiding the Arkenstone in a desperate attempt to regain the king's sanity. Why would he give it to the man, though? In hopes that the king would surrender the mountain for the stone? Even Danica knew how unlikely that was. Shaking her head, she turned away, and continued walking. She likely didn't have much time before they came looking for her.

Some of the halls were familiar to her, but most of the mountain remained like a labyrinth. The king had seen to that. He had made sure to take her on different paths each time she'd gone out, so she could never figure her way around. It had worked, and she soon found herself hopelessly lost. At first, it wasn't so bad. She found some more living quarters, and what appeared to be a ballroom of sorts. If they all lived, she would like to see it cleaned, and full of life. In fact, she'd had a vision of it. A grand celebration that had the hall filled with the light of a thousand candles, and laughter of hundreds of people. That image kept her going when the king showed her cruelty.

The last place she stumbled on was a nursery. Much of it had been burned away, but there were still some recognizable bits and pieces. A nearly-whole crib leaned against the wall, black from smoke. Across from it, a rocking chair sat in a pile of its own charred sticks and ashes. Tears stung her eyes when she saw a small, wooden goat, abandoned in a corner. The shoes she'd been holding dropped to the floor, forgotten, as she walked forward to pick up the small animal. It crumbled into ash in her hand with a suddenness that caused her to gasp.

"A good reason to follow orders," the king's voice had her lurching to her feet. "If you don't, you never know what unpleasantness you may find,"

Both his voice and face were stern, but he didn't seem too angry. One of her feet pained her, but she contributed it to standing too quickly.

"I wasn't trying to leave," she promised immediately.

The king gave a throaty, noncommittal noise as he bent to pick up her shoes. "So, how much did you hear of my conversation with Bard?"

He had seen her. And she had been so certain that she had gotten away undetected.

"Nut much," she replied. "Just the end of it,"

"And? I am sure you have an opinion," he walked closer, and handed her the shoes.

Almost afraid they would hurt her, themselves, she gingerly took them in her hands. "I have never been in much of a position to have an opinion,"

"Yet, I am sure you have one,"

It was very dark, especially with him standing in front of the doorway. Once again, he was trying to intimidate her. She didn't want to answer, but didn't want him trying to force out an answer, wither.

"It was not the men of Laketown, nor the elves of Mirkwood who killed you and your nephews in my vision. In order for you to have the best chance of survival, you shouldn't fight with them,"

"They are the immediate threat," he said, completely unfazed by the rest of her concerns. "The orcs you speak of haven't been seen or heard from, but there is an armed host waiting to attack, and steal from us,"

She should be used to having her words pushed aside like flies. Her entire life had been that way. For some reason, that didn't keep her from getting irritated

"Why did you ask for my opinion if you have already made up your mind?"

He kept silent for a moment, then turned. "I think it is time you returned to your room,"

Anger was making her want to throw caution to the wind. Stepping quickly, and trying to ignore the pain in her foot, she moved directly in front of him. Her courage grew when his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Do you think you would even notice if the small amount they are asking went missing? Enough to rebuild their lives, that is all. When there is- "

"I would notice every coin and gem, no matter how small. I made what promises I needed to make in order to keep my men alive and free," his eyes had narrowed again, piercing through her in the dim light.

"And if you knew that innocent children died of hunger and cold, because of your lack of compassion? Children like the ones who played in this room, and slept in that crib? Could you really remain so cold and cruel?"

"Life is cold and cruel. Innocents die every day on the petty whim of some god,"

"Except, this time you could help,"

He moved forward suddenly, back her against the door jam. Once again, he had the upper hand. "You have a very gentle heart. It could get you killed,"

She glared at him defiantly. "I would rather die with a gentle heart, than none at all,"

Fire flashed in his eyes, but before he could do anything about it, Balin walked over with the scary-looking Dwalin.

"I can escort the lass back to her room," Balin offered, looking between the two of them.

The king took a step back, eyes never leaving hers. "Take her to the east entrance,"

Even Dwalin's brows rose. "We haven't been able to clean it out,"

"I know," without another word, he led the way out, leaving no room for argument.

"Come on, Lass," Balin said softly, offering his arm to her.

Trepidation filled her, but she took Balin's arm, and followed them out of the nursery, and into the maze of bridges and halls. Some of them had no rails, which left her unsteady and fighting a sense of vertigo. The pain in her foot only increased this, and, more than once, she wobbled dangerously to the side. Balin's steady arm kept her upright, and away from the edge. With each step, she began to realize how wet her foot felt. As discreetly as possible, she glanced back, and there they were; her bloody footprints tracking after them. She must have stepped on a shard of something in the nursery. Thankfully, she and Balin were the last in the caravan, so no one else knew. Yet.

"Are ye sure about this?" Balin asked the king wen they paused in front of a dark corridor.

The king merely stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. Danica took a moment to quickly slip her shoes on, hoping to hide her wound. When they walked into the caved-in room, her foot flew to the back of her mind. Quite a few of the bodies in front of her had been semi-preserved, showing the terror on their cracking faces. Her stomach turned, and her heart clenched at the sight of more than one baby clutched tightly in its mother's stiff arms. All she wanted to do was cry, but she refused to give the king that satisfaction. He wanted to shock and hurt her, and she would not let him win. Instead, she let go of Balin's arm, and knelt down in the midst of the dead. Closing her eyes, she said a prayer, then hummed a tune she remembered from her childhood.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" the king's voice was soft, but still broke the silence like a thunder clap. She rose, but gave no reply. "I want you to see what happens when you get involved with other races; when you let them into your life. The men of Dale failed to kill the dragon, and the elves left us to die, not even helping when we became refugees. Tell me, why should I offer help to those who would not do the same?"

It was sad. So sad, it almost broke her heart. "Because it's the right thing to do,"

Her tone may have been the reason, or the words themselves, but he almost seemed abashed. For the first time, he looked down, but then quickly frowned. Following his faze, she saw that her shoe was beginning to darken at the bottom. Balin and Dwalin looked as well. To her horror, Dwalin stepped out, eyes to the floor.

"How did ye wound yer foot?" he asked when he came back in.

Nerves made her chest tighten, and her hands shake. "I don't know, honestly. I think I stepped on something in the nursery. I'm sorry,"

"No need to apologize, Lass," Balin took her hand, and patted it kindly. However, any comfort his words may have provided evaporated the instant the king approached her. Keeping his frustrating silence, he deftly lifted her into his arms.

"Go get Oin," he ordered the other two.

They nodded, and went off to do as their king bid. Alone with the king, Danica wished she had never had the terrible idea of leaving her room. The whole venture had done nothing but blow up in her face. Damn the king and his arrogance, but he had been right. She kept waiting for him to say so, but he didn't make a noise as he carried her back to her room. Being in his arms left her feeling very conflicted. There was no one who could scare her the way the wizards did, but the king did put her on edge, since his temper was always so close to the surface. Much to her confusion, and displeasure, she also felt a tingling heat. Apparently, no amount of torture from her masters, or cold behavior could keep her from being attracted to him. She hated it.

"You should have said something," the king murmured.

"What good would it have done me?" she questioned bitterly.

He spared her a short, cold glance. "We would not have let you walk around injured. You would have been seen to immediately,"

Her mind didn't believe him, but she managed to control her face and tongue, though she did have to stay quiet until they got to her room, and he gently set her on the bed.

"Thank you," she said, reaching forward to take her shoe off. Hoping the king would just leave, she gingerly took her foot, and looked at the bottom of it. There was a fairly small, but deep gash, with some wood still splintered beneath the skin. Cleaning it was really going to hurt. Gritting her teeth, she prepared to perform the excavation.

"Let me," the king sat bay her feet, a cloth in his hand, and her jug of water beside him on the floor.

"Thank you, but I can do it," she didn't really want him touching her again.

"I can see it better than you can," he pointed out, taking her foot before she could argue more.

His hands were strong, but gentle as he dabbed some of the blood and dirt away from the wound. Danica remained as still as possible, watching him for any sign of violence. At the moment, there was none. He even warned her before he pulled a couple of the splinters out. She managed to not cry out, but did let out a hiss through her teeth. When he was done, he used the cloth and water to wipe off the fresh blood.

The others came in shortly after, and their healer, Oin took over. Balin and Dwalin left once they saw that everything was under control, but not the king. He stayed. And watched. Not what Oin was doing; he watched her. He had done this often enough since she'd arrived, but there was something different about this time. Something less violent, yet somehow more dangerous. Even when her focus went to Oin's cleaning and dressing, she felt his eyes on her. Unfortunately, Oin finished his work much faster than she would have liked, grabbing his supplies and rising once her foot was wrapped.

"Try to stay off of that foot as much as possible for the next week or so. It will need to be redressed every day,"

"Thank you," she smiled politely at the dwarf. He gave a small nod to her, then the king, and left them alone once again.

His arms were folded over his chest, and his gaze continued to be unwavering. Determination and pure stubbornness had her holding his gaze, but not for long.

"What do you want from me?" she nearly exploded.

For a moment, she wasn't sure if he would respond.

"I don't know," his tone was soft and unsure, but he suddenly walked out before she could say anything more. She frowned after him, then leaned back against the pillows, allowing exhaustion to pull her eyelids shut.

 **P.S.** Reviews and comments are always greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N.** Watching and desperately waiting for the chunky rain to turn to snow. :'( Anywho, thank you all for reading this story!  
 **Kelwtim2spar:** Thank you, and thank you for commenting!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

He came for her again at midnight, though she did not know why. She had finally managed to fall asleep on the musty bed, even with anxiety buzzing in her head. When he came in, he was resplendent and frightening in his full set of golden armor. The way he looked at her as she lay on the bed made her feel naked and vulnerable. She quickly sat up, wrapping a blanket around her as some form of protection. At first, he didn't say anything, just walked in and started another fire with the still-glowing coals. He seemed much calmer than any other time he'd come, but that didn't make her any more relaxed. She watched his every move carefully. Finally, he stood, and walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed near her feet.

"You said you were from the east," he began. "From Rhûn?"

At first, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I am not here to hurt you," he said.

"Why are you here?" she shot back, patience long gone. "I already told you that I cannot find the damn stone,"

His lips pressed together in irritation. "Do not test my patience. I did not come to harm you, but that will not save you if you provoke me,"

Danica bit the inside of her cheek. "Why are you here?" she asked again, voice softer.

"Tomorrow, the elves and men of Laketown will attack. There is a good chance that we will not live to see another night, as you have already warned. If that is the case, then you will find yourself a free woman. I thought I should learn a little about the woman who wanted to save my life,"

It still seemed suspicious, but she sat back against the head board. "I did spend some time near the sea of Rhûn, but most of my life was spent east of that,"

"Not many people have ventured that far. Certainly no one has lived in the eastern mountains,"

"Well, now one has," she couldn't help the crooked smile, and was a little jarred when he smiled back. "The wild between Rhûn and the eastern mountains is vast, and seems to have no end. Then, a vast, green forest inhabited by creatures never seen by the rest of middle earth. The foothills of the mountains are so densely covered in trees that you don't even realize you've reached the mountains. When the forest finally breaks, you feel as though you could walk to the heavens. Most days, you can't see the peaks because they are hidden in the clouds. It is impossible to see which direction the mountains stretch, nor how far. Only that they are the largest in the world. Not even the Misty Mountains can compare,"

"You have a way with words," he said. "I could almost believe you. Continue,"

She had to take a deep breath to keep from snapping at him, then nearly dropped her jaw into her lap when he began losing the straps on his armor.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Getting comfortable," his response was completely nonchalant, and meant he wasn't going anywhere any time soon. "Continue,"

"There is a lake," she spoke, mostly to distract herself. "It sits in a valley, just below the highest point of the range. It should be frozen, sitting just below the clouds, but there is a hot spot directly under it, keeping it warm year-round. Black sand makes up the shore on all sides; the softest sand you will ever feel. At night, it glows with lights like the stars in the sky. Your footprints shine blue for a couple moments, before fading back into the stars,"

The king's armor was set aside, glimmering in the firelight. "You seem fond of this place. Why leave?"

"Because I wanted to help. My visions come to me for a reason, and I never ignore them," but that wasn't the whole truth. "And I had cruel masters,"

His brow furrowed. "Masters? You were a slave?"

"A prisoner, and a tool. Seems to be my lot in life," her lips curved in a bitter mockery of a smile. It was only after the words were spoken that she realized how angry her words could make him. However, he didn't seem angry. In fact, much to her surprise, he almost seemed abashed.

"Well, as I said, you will be a free woman tomorrow,"

"And what if you survive?" she asked hesitantly.

His gaze pierced through her, and she once again felt the nervous clenching in her stomach. Remaining silent, he stood from his place at the foot of the bed, and sat next to her. One arm draped her over, his hand resting beside her hip. The position brought him close. Too close. He lifted his other hand up, and stroked her cheek, almost sweetly.

"Do you want me to survive?" his voice was low and husky, and made her heart race.

"Yes," she whispered, voice failing her. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "That is still why I'm here,"

His fingers skimmed down her throat, barely touching where she knew bruises had formed from their earlier confrontation. Finally, her took her braided hair, touching it softly.

"You are a pretty little thing, aren't you?" he leaned even closer, trapping her body with his. "You could always stay. As my guest, instead of a prisoner. You could be mine, but of your own free will," his lips brushed a whisper of a kiss over hers.

How could one forget how to breathe? It was one of a person's first instincts, and yet, Danica couldn't manage it. She was irrevocably under his spell. All the dreams she'd had of him had made her want to be near him, to be touched by him. Even now, with the dragon sickness laying so heavily on him, she didn't want to say no.

"Be mine," it was more of a demand than a request, but she nodded anyway. The next kiss was longer and deeper than before, making her mind go blank. For a few, blissful moments, all she knew was him. All those false promises of pleasure that her dreams had given her seemed almost true now.

Then reality hit. A madness began to take over him, and his lips became hard and unyielding. When he pushed her back into the mattress, a cold sweat broke out across her brow. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the panic away, but all she could feel were the other men's hands on her. The hands that had shattered her innocence like a thousand mirrors. No matter what the king's kisses may have done to her before, she knew this wouldn't end well for her. When a man took his pleasure, it meant nothing but pain and humiliation for a woman. Trying to remain as calm as possible, she put her hands on his chest, and slowly pushed him back. Unsure of what she was doing, he allowed her to sit up, his eyes glazed with confusion and desire.

"I'm sorry, I can't," her words were soft, and she stood, needing some space. She leaned against the wall, unable to put any weight on her hurt foot.

He wasn't going to let her. Standing as well, he grabbed her arm, keeping her in place. "You said you would," he growled the reminder, and she could see the sickness darkening his eyes. "You cannot turn away now,"

She struggled in his grip, but he was too strong. "Please, don't! This isn't you,"

That made him pause. A contemplative frown pulled at his features. "Isn't it? I have never been one for lust or pleasure, but I have wanted you since the moment I saw you,"

Unable to speak, she stared at him. Of all the things he could have said, that was the second to last she expected. Unfortunately, her shock made her vulnerable, and he easily pushed her back against the wall, and pressed his body flush against hers.

"I guess it is too late for both of us," he said, and took her mouth again.

Though she squirmed, and tried to thrash her way free, his hold wasn't going to break. One of his hands began lifting her skirt, even as he lowered her to the floor. Tears began to roll down her face, and her words turned to sobs that fell useless on the king's deaf ears. Trying to fight became pointless when he easily pinned her wrists with just one of his hands. His other hand continued over her body, seeking, and taking whatever he wanted. It would be over faster if she just gave in, she knew. There had been plenty of times when she had before. Not now. Not this time. She couldn't when she knew that he was better than this. So, she did the only thing she could; she opened her mouth, and screamed. She yelled and shrieked for help as many times as she could before he silenced her with another, brutal kiss. Thankfully, someone heard her, and burst through the door, prying the king off of her.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" one of the younger dwarves, the golden-haired one, was staring at his king with a mix of shock and appalled disgust. Danica fixed her skirts, and sat back up.

The king straightened himself, and reached for Danica. As she shied away, the other dwarf jumped between them.

"Fili, step aside," the king commanded.

"No," the dwarf, Fili, had a strength, and resoluteness about him.

"I am your king, and I order you to step aside,"

"No!"

"She is mine. She acknowledged it herself,"

Fili shook his head in disbelief. "A person is not some thing you can claim as your own," he seethed. "She is a woman, and deserves far more respect than anything you have shown her. Certainly more than this,"

"Stand aside," the king growled.

"If you do this, you will not only disgrace yourself, but our entire line. You will have stolen something from her that you cannot give back, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days,"

Silence, still and cold fell upon the room. Danica saw a couple of other heads peek in the room as the king and Fili stared each other down. After what seemed like an eternity, the king turned on his heel, and walked away.

"Fine. Take her for yourself," he spat. "See what respect she will receive tomorrow if we're defeated,"

After barking another order at those in the doorway, he disappeared. Fili let out a heavy sigh, then turned and knelt in front of her. A couple of the others entered, and quickly removed the king's armor.

"I am so sorry for what he did to you, and for allowing him to take you prisoner in the first place," he extended a hand, which she hesitantly took.

"He is your king," she said, once they were on their feet. "You were only trying to respect and obey him,"

A grimace crossed his features. "That is no excuse," he reached over, grabbing her discarded blanket, then draping it over her shoulders. When she stumbled, he helped her sit on the bed. "I will help you escape, if I can, but it may not be for a couple of hours,"

Her heart leapt at the thought of leaving, and truly being free. But she couldn't. She looked at Fili. He was so handsome, warm, and kind. It was his life she was trying to save as well.

"Thank you," she smiled, and put a hand on his arm. "Truly, your kindness means a lot to me. I have not known much of it in my life. Unfortunately, I have to decline your offer,"

"Why, Lass?" the white-haired dwarf, Balin, came to stand next to Fili. "What could you possibly have to keep you here?"

"Honor. I cam here to save as many lives as possible," mostly the king's. "I will not leave until the battle is over, and won,"

Both dwarves looked tortured.

"You owe us nothing, Lady Danica," Fili said.

"I am no lady," she responded, trying to keep the bite from her tone. "But I do owe you. More than you know. A conversation for another time, though,"

After sharing a glance with Balin, Fili sighed again. "Very well. If we can't convince you to leave, can I at least offer you a bath, and a better room?"

Her fate was being sealed, and by her own hand, but she somehow managed to give a polite smile. "That would be nice, thank you,"

Fili guarded her while she bathed, which took longer than normal due to her having to keep her foot dry. He then led her to her new room, which had been cleaned, and had a low fire burning in the fireplace.

"We found some clean clothes that may fit you. They are in the trunk at the foot of the bed. Dawn is still a few hours away, so you should try and get some sleep. I will make sure you are not disturbed,"

"I do not know how to repay you," Danica said.

A mix of guilt, and something else she could not fathom filled Fili's eyes as he looked at her. "Considering what has been done to you, I would say we're even. However, if you do manage to keep us alive tomorrow, that should be payment enough,"

She nodded, then clasped her hands in front of her. "Has your king always been like this? In the visions I had before, he was…different,"

"Different," Fili gave a small, dark chuckle. "He has never been anything like this; not in my entire life. Thorin has always been the most honorable and noble person I have ever met. Of course he's made mistakes, like any of the rest of us, but he never did anything that would disgrace himself, or others. It is the dragon sickness. It brings out a fierce jealousy that I've never seen in him before. Dwarves are naturally protective of what we know is ours, but this is beyond that. Balin has his own theory on why Thorin has decided to claim you, but he could explain it better than me,"

So strange. She had only heard a little bit about the sickness, and it all still confused her. "There must be some way to combat it,"

"I truly hope so," Fili responded sadly. "Anyway, you should get some rest,"

She smiled. "Goodnight, Fili. And thank you,"

"Sleep well, Danica. I promise to keep you safe," he turned to walk out, and she went to the bed. "Danica,"

He had paused at the door when she looked back at him.

"Yes?"

"You were wrong about one thing," now his lips lifted in a warm, tender smile. "You are, most certainly, a lady,"

Feeling better than she could have thought, considering the night's events, Danica braided her hair, changed into a clean shift, and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N.** Almost to redemption time! Then things get even more interesting. 😉  
 **Kelwtim2spar:** I knew I wanted him to be a little more evil in the beginning of this, because that kind of potential was already there in the book and movies. However, he won't be like this for much longer. 😊 Thank you for commenting!  
 **Tibblets:** Thank you! I don't know why I wanted to write him like this, it was just something I wanted to delve into a little bit, since we don't see a lot of it.  
For everyone else, is this length of chapter a little better? I've been known to write really long chapters before, and this one is pretty short for me. Do you like longer or shorter? Reviews and constructive criticism always appreciated!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.

It was Fili who woke her a little before dawn, already in his armor. On the order of the king, he was to bind her hands together, and lead her out to the battlement. His jaw clenched as he told her, hating his duty, but knowing he must do it anyway. However, he did bring her some breakfast, and allowed her to eat it in peace. She dressed in one of the frocks they found for her; a pretty gold and brown dress with blue accents. They had been able to get some children's shoes that fit her well enough, and protected her bandages. She left her hair unbound, flowing freely down her back. When Fili walked her out with her hands restrained, she kept her head high. None of the other dwarves could look at her, but she didn't mind. It was easier that way. There only seemed to be one person missing.

"Where is the hobbit?" she asked Fili softly.

"No one has seen him since last night," he answered just as softly. "Probably for the best. A hobbit should not be in the middle of a battle,"

Her brow drew together. "So, you think he has gone to hide?"

"I hope so. He deserves to live through this,"

Danica pressed her lips together. The hobbit had not seemed like a coward, and she was fairly sure he had gone to give the Arkenstone to Bard. It would explain her two different visions. The king's rage was going to be something to behold when he discovered the truth. He already seemed ready for war and death. The same armor he had worn the night before now gleamed in the early light, and a great crown rested on his black hair. Just like the others, he didn't look at her. She hardly noticed, for she refused to look at him as well. All she did was silently follow them up into the morning air. A large host of elves spread out in front of them, almost as far as the eye could see. Amongst them were what appeared to be lake men.

The king had her tied to one of the steadier pillars, which kept her out of sight of those on the ground. Once they were all in position, he grabbed a bow, and waited. When he finally fired, she knew the other leaders had arrived.

"The next one goes between your eyes," he jeered.

"We have heard that you have a human woman hostage," Bard called. "She is nothing to you. Let her be with her people,"

"She is not one of your people," the king called back. "What interest would you have in her?"

"Just to keep her safe,"

The king shook his head. "She is mine, as is everything else in the mountain. When she came here, she did so willingly,"

"I doubt she willingly gave herself up to enslavement," the elf king spoke darkly. "Have you lost all trace of honor and decency?"

"Enough!" the king yelled. "Why have you come to the gate?"

More words were spoken, but Danica's attention turned to the side, where the hobbit had silently climbed onto the battlements, unnoticed by anyone else. She quickly averted her eyes when the king turned and stalked toward her. By the fire in his eyes, she assumed Bard had revealed the Arkenstone.

"Did you foresee this?" he growled.

She nodded. "Yesterday afternoon,"

His eyes flashed, and he grabbed her throat, making her wince. "And you did not think to tell me?!"

"You didn't give me much of a chance, and I couldn't fully understand it. I didn't know how he could have gotten it,"

"And now?"

"Let her go, Thorin!" a small, but firm voice rose above everything else. "I was the one who gave it to them,"

As slow and dangerous as a mountain lion, the king turned to face the hobbit, who stood strong and resolute. It was as if he could not sense the danger, such was his lack of fear. Danica watched them fearfully, even while admiring the hobbit's bravery. He struck at the king with his words of honor, and even stood up for her. This only seemed to make the king angrier. When his men would not obey his command to kill their former companion, he moved forward to do it himself. Distraught, Danica's cries joined the rest, until a deep, booming voice silenced them all.

Danica's heart froze painfully in her chest. She recognized that kind of power, though this was far stronger than what she knew. A wizard. The sorcerers who had been her captors had only mentioned the other wizards a couple of times, and called them fools. Whether this one was or not, she did not know, and did not care. She would never be able to trust a wizard. Apparently, the king felt the same, but he did let the hobbit go when commanded. He yelled at the wizard, and the others when the elf suggested selling the stone. However, even as he stalked back and forth, it was plain to see how hopeless the situation was. The dwarves were helplessly trapped. In one last attempt at seeking reason, the wizard spoke to the king.

"This treasure will be your death," he finished.

The king paused, then came back to Danica. "Well Oracle, is he right? Is this how I am to die?"

"Part of it, yes," she responded without hesitation.

Something in the king's face changed. His expression softened, a sadness breathing through the storm cloud of his eyes. Balin reached over, touching the king's shoulder.

"Thorin, we cannot win this fight,"

The king's eyes never left Danica's, searching her for his answer. Using this gaze, she pleaded with him to stand down.

"They're coming," she whispered.

For the very first time, he really heard her, and understood what she was saying.

"Give us your answer," Bard called. "Will you have peace, or war?"

Everyone waited with bated breath, and his eyes never left hers. A raven's wings broke the still air as it glided from the east and landed on the stone behind the king. It gave a soft "caw" to get his attention. His eyes widened slightly, and he turned to the bird. From his profile, she could see his lips curve upward, and the haze fall back over his eyes. She'd lost him.

"I will have war," his voice was soft and gruff, but sang with victory.

Danica hung her head, not looking up when the dwarf army came over the hill, nor when their leader began yelling insults at the elves. The king would never listen, and unless she was able to get free, there was no way for her to help. Even if she did, she couldn't fight. She had never even held a weapon, because her captors had never trusted her. The hobbit may have helped her, but he was already back at the wizard's side. So, she listened to the sounds of battle between the elves and the dwarves, followed by the deep, rumbling beneath the earth. All fighting ceased, and she finally looked up to the hill along with the others. Out of the ground sprung great worms, who left large tunnels behind them. Orc armies came pouring from those tunnels like a thousand ant colonies.

The dwarves from the Iron Hills were the first to stand against them, followed by the elves at the last moment. Fili wanted to go over the wall, but the king would not have it.

"I said stand down!" he yelled when the others tried to argue with him. "And free the oracle. Her fate is now her own,"

Most of them just stared after their king in shock. Dwalin went after him, face set with determination. His own jaw clenched, Fili approached her, and cut away her bonds.

"The mountain is likely the safest place for you now, though you may be able to escape through the hidden door. It is possible you could sneak around the north side of the battle, and make your way west. Whatever you decide, I will keep you safe for as long as I can,"

Danica rubbed her sore wrists, and looked from the battle, to the mountain. Her eyes found the king just as he walked out of sight. She took a deep breath, and began following him. Fili stayed next to her, face perplexed.

"Thank you, Fili, but I cannot leave yet. I must speak to the king one more time,"

"Why? Can't you see he is beyond hope?"

She paused for a moment to smile sadly at the young dwarf. "I want to believe that no one is beyond hope,"

He did not know that she was speaking of herself as well, but seemed to understand that she was referring to more than just the king. When she began walking again, he remained where he was, looking after her regretfully. Her heart pounded madly beneath her breast. She knew what she had to do, but did not know if she would have the courage to see it through.


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N.** Thank you to everyone who has been reading and following this story, as well as my others! I appreciate you all greatly!  
 **priya24626:** Your comments helped to get this chapter out! Thank you so much! It's nice to know someone enjoys the story. 😊  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.

It took her longer to find him than she would have liked. The moment he had gone out of sight, she couldn't be exactly sure where he would go, and she nearly got as lost as she had the day before. With her foot still aching badly, her pace was that much slower. Thankfully, she heard the king speaking with Dwalin, and followed their voices to the throne. She couldn't catch all of what they were saying since their voices were low. At first.

"I am your king!" the sword sang as it sliced through the air, the king stumbling slightly as he lost balance.

"Ye were always my king," Dwalin responded, voice sad. "Ye used to know that, once. Ye cannot see what you have become,"

The last words were so soft, Danica had to move closer to understand them. There was nowhere for her to hide, so open was the raised hall. However, even as she stood there, they did not notice her. She was unsure if the king heard Dwalin, but then heard his final threat.

"Go. Get out. Before I kill you,"

She gulped. If he was that hostile with one of his most trusted friends, what chance did she have? Dwalin caught sight of her as he walked away. His face was heavy with heartbreak and disappointment.

"Yer wasting yer time, Lass," he said, not even stopping as he spoke.

It sure seemed that way, but she turned back toward the throne, only to find the king gone again. Cursing under her breath, she hastened to the throne, and was lucky enough to see him descending a staircase to the left. Once again, it took her a while to catch up to him. Her foot got worse with each step, so she was practically hopping on one foot by the end. It didn't help that he could move very quickly when he wanted to. She found him again below the raised hall, at the feet of the statues who looked on the throne. A thick, shiny layer of gold made up the floor, and almost seemed to cast a light of its own. Splashes of gold also speckled the pillars, making them both beautiful, and eerie.

"Why have you followed me here?" the king's voice echoed slightly around them, his back still to her.

"How did you…?"

"I can feel your presence when you are near me," he turned slightly, revealing his troubled profile to her. "Is that your doing?"

Her first instinct was to deny it, but doubt kept her from doing so. "I don't know. If it is, it is not done purposefully,"

When he faced her fully, he looked weak, and lost. "I do not know which you are; my salvation, or my curse,"

She couldn't respond. Though she had come to be the first, so much had gone wrong. A hard lump rose in her throat, and she struggled to swallow it before trying to speak.

"You need to remember who you are," she said, voice rough. When he frowned slightly, she had to will herself to keep going. She couldn't lose her courage now. "Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain,"

He had started walking toward her, but paused when she said his name. It had felt strange on her tongue; personal, and almost intimate.

"You are, and have always been the leader of a proud, and noble people," she continued. "They respect and love you. In other parts of the world, you are known as a strong, wise, and selfless ruler. You have the blood of your grandfather, yes, but you are not him. I know your people mean more to you than this gold. That your honor means more to you,"

His eyes were changing; softening and clearing. He walked toward her again, so suddenly that she flinched and backed away. Freezing, he lifted up both hands.

"I will not hurt you," he promised, and she believed him. Moving slower, and more cautiously than before, he continued his approach until he was almost touching her. "Why did you come here?"

It was a question he had asked before, but she knew he would not accept the same answer she normally gave. This was what she had followed him for, and what she was absolutely terrified of. Despite that, she knew there was no turning back.

"I have had visions of you for as long as I can remember," she began, forcing herself to look him in the eye. Her hands began to shake. "I don't know why I had them, but they saved me. You saved me. When I was broken, and wanted to die, you kept me going. I fell in love with you, and love you still,"

So much went through his eyes before they settled on shame. He took a step back, shaking his head. "I do not deserve it, nor your faith. Not after what I have done,"

Anger surged through her, surprising and strengthening her. Without another thought, she put her hands on the sides of his neck, and kissed him. At first, he was too shocked to react. Before he could get the chance, she pulled back, hands sliding to his armored chest.

"Then live. Live, and make it up to me, and everyone else,"

He sighed, not convinced, so she leaned close again, waiting until his eyes met hers, and kissed him again. It was soft, and sweet, giving him a choice to respond, or walk away. At first, she thought he would do the latter, especially when he put a hand up to her cheek. Then, his lips moved against hers, just as sweetly. When he pulled away, he still looked tortured, but there was a new kindness and determination in him. This was the Thorin she had seen in her visions.

"No amount of time would be enough for me to atone for the way I have acted," he lamented, backing up a step and tossing his crown to the side. "I cannot promise that I will live through this day, but if I do, anything you ask of me will be yours,"

All she wanted was for him to live. "You're going out there, aren't you?"

"I must. My people are out there, and I cannot abandon them," he began to remove his armor, causing her eyes to widen.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed. "You cannot go into battle unprotected,"

A wry, sardonic smile lifted one corner of his mouth. "It is not uncommon for dwarves to go into battle with minimal armor. It helps us move faster,"

"But- "

"You have done all you can, Miss Danica, and I thank you," the smile warmed. "It is time for you to look after yourself. Stay here for now. It is the safest place,"

"I would like to see you, and everyone else off, if I may,"

He nodded once, and led the way back up. As she followed, she thought. She could not just stay here. So long as she still had breath in her lungs, there was still something she could do.

 **P.S.** Short chapter, but it felt like it needed to end here. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N.** Hello all! For those who have been reading my other stories, "The Witch of Dawn" is currently on hiatus. I think it went in a direction I never really intended, and has lost some of its spark. So, I am deciding whether I rewrite the whole story, or just certain chapters. Any help from you would be wonderful.  
This story will still update regularly, no worries. 😊 Thanks to all who are reading!  
 **priya24626:** You're welcome! I'm so glad you like the story, and thank you for your kind words.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

Shame burned within him as memories of every terrible thing he did or said plagued his mind. The way he had treated both bilbo and the oracle-no, Danica-was so far beyond deplorable, he could scarcely bear it. He was sure their burglar was gone by now, at least he hoped he was. Such a battle was no place for a hobbit. Danica, however, walked beside him, with no sign of fear, bitterness, or hate. He chanced a glance at her from his peripheral. Her face was serious and determined, and she didn't seem to notice his gaze. The single-mindedness she had about saving his life frightened him. It seemed there was nothing she would not do. That kind of selflessness got people killed.

All the others were sitting near the gate, looks of frustration and sorrow on their faces as they listened to the sounds of battle. A few of them looked up when they heard his footsteps. Kili frowned, his body tight and ready for an argument. He stood, voice barely beginning to leave his lips when his brother put a hand on his shoulder. Fili smiled, and gave a nod. He always had been able to see what his brother could not. One by one, everyone noticed the difference in their king, and the way Danica remained beside him.

"I have no right to ask this of any of you; but will you follow me one last time?"

There was no doubt in his mind what their answer would be, even if he didn't deserve it. As surely as if he had told them to, they each stood, weapon in hand. Fili and Kili practically vibrated with excitement, while the older, wiser ones held a somber preparedness. Thorin smiled at the sight of them all, so brave and loyal.

"No one could have wished for a better company," he said. "Each one of you is worth more than all the treasure in this mountain. Including you, Miss Danica,"

The sudden shift in attention had her eyes widening. Some of them, like Balin, Bofur, and Fili smiled warmly at her. She looked from them to Thorin, unsure.

"You have shown us all more loyalty than anyone could have thought possible from a stranger. Certainly more than we could ask. That being said, I must ask you for one last favor,"

Her gaze cleared as the uncertainty faded away. "Anything,"

"Can you tell us how we may escape the fate you saw?"

She pressed her lips together, then her eyes. They all watched her, barely breathing. When she opened her eyes again, she looked confident.

"Stay away from Raven Hill. The orcs are planning a trap there. Let the free folk take care of Azog and the others," when protests arose, she frowned. "I know you all want justice for your people, but remember that the shapeshifters were wiped out because of him,"

That ceased the arguing, but most still looked displeased, Fili and Kili chief among them. Thorin felt as they did, but wanted his nephews alive more than he wanted vengeance.

"I do not like the idea of ignoring that filth any more than you do," he said. "We are only a few, and need to be smart about what moves we make if we want to survive. It took nearly all we had to get here, and I do not want that to be in vain. Let us not just send these bastards into hell, but also live to dance on their graves,"

Cheers followed his words, and they quickly se tot figuring out how to break down the make-shift gate. Fili came to stand next to Thorin as he addressed Danica.

"Do you remember the way back to your chamber?" he waited for her nod before continuing. "Go hide in there. You will be safe, and we can come get you after,"

Something flickered in her eyes, but she just nodded again. Fili kissed her hand, bringing a blush to her cheeks. After a charming wink, he left to join his brother. Alone with her, Thorin wasn't quite sure what to do, and she seemed to feel the same. Then, she moved forward, and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Be careful," her words were a whisper on his skin. When he looked at her, he knew he would do everything he could to return to her. He didn't understand what it was she made him feel, but he wanted the chance to find out.

"You as well," with some regret, he turned, and prepared for battle.

* * *

She walked away until she was out of sight, and waited. It was impossible to miss the sound of the bell hitting stone, and the ringing it left in her ears made it hard to hear much else. Chancing a peek around the corner, she saw that the dwarves were out on the battlefield. Fear and adrenaline made her shake as she moved out into the open. One of the dwarves had left a spear behind, which she grabbed as she made her way to the field. If the Line of Durin was to survive, she had to move quickly. There was only one way she could allow this to end.

Her visions had shown her plenty of battles, but experiencing them firsthand was something else entirely. The smell of blood and death nearly choked her, and she no longer had the security of being a third-party observer. Now, she was just as vulnerable as everyone else. She did her best to stay unnoticed, slipping between the smaller skirmishes. There were three faces she looked for; three who could undo all they had worked for. Two of them she knew were on Ravenhill, but the third was somewhere in their midst.

The dwarves managed to push the orcs back, and she thought she could see the elves and men gaining the upper hand in Dale. Just then, a horn blew, and the enemy turned its attention back toward the mountain. Trolls lumbered through the armies, burning small earthquakes with each step. Chaos ensued as the dwarves suddenly switched direction, and tried to cut the enemy off. Danica got caught in the madness, eventually losing her footing, and falling backward into water. The shock of it had her lungs and heart stopping in her chest. Swimming back to the surface felt almost impossible, but, thankfully, the water wasn't too deep.

When she resurfaced, she found herself in front of the gates. The army of dwarves stood like a wall of defense between their home, and the enemy. A sort of pause had fallen on the field with everyone frozen, waiting for a signal. It came as an orc horn, but changed with the echo of an avian cry. All attention turned to the skies. Confidence grew among the dwarves as the eagles flew overhead, taking down the bats, and occasionally diving to strike at the orcs and trolls. The battle turned. With a start, she saw the face of one of her targets.

It was a struggle to move her frozen limbs, but with time ticking away, she had no choice. Gritting her teeth, she ran. Somehow, she had managed to keep a hold of the spear, and held it in front of her as she ran. A couple of orcs tried to cut her down, stopped by bold dwarves with axes. Keeping her eyes forward, she drove her spear into the orc's side just as its sword was about to cut into Fili's neck. She barely had time to sigh in relief before something hard struck her in the back, knocking her to the ground. The spear flew from her hand, and her vision went black for a couple moments. When she came to again, a body had fallen on top of her.

By the smell, she assumed it was an orc. No matter what it was, it was heavy. Pushing it off took nearly all of her effort. When it finally slid off, a hand lowered to help her up.

"Ye shouldn't be out here, Lass," a broad, red-haired dwarf helped her to her feet. "Get as far away from here as ye can,"

She nodded her thanks to him, waited for him to look away, and then searched for a weapon. There were plenty laying around, so she grabbed a dagger, and looked around for Thorin, Fili, Kili. They were still alive, but Kili was injured. One of the orc leaders had made his way down to the battlefield, and was barely being held back by Dwalin and Balin while Thorin looked after his nephew. The orc, Bolg, struck his two assailants aside, and lunged for Fili, who stood in front of his family. Too far away to do anything else, Danica threw the dagger as hard as she could. The hilt bounced harmlessly off his head, but it made him pause, and look. His eyes landed on her, a moment before an arrow pierced his temple.

As he fell, both Fili and Danica looked to see where the arrow came from. A tall, blonde elf stood nearby, fighting with a bow in his hands. Danica managed to slip back toward Erebor, and watched for the Pale Orc. He finally made his way down from Ravenhill with what was left of his army. Even with their leader amongst them, the orcs had lost moral, and were running. He never made it close to Thorin. At least, not at first. The battle seemed to be won, but she was the only one who saw the Pale Orc, hiding, and biding his time. When he made his move, unbeknownst to the others, she made hers.

* * *

The orcs had fled, leaving the carnage of their fellows behind them. Beorn chased a few more of them off, killing at least three. Azog had disappeared in the sudden exodus, and Thorin could not be sure he if was swept along with the rest of his filth, or hiding. Neither seemed very likely, but the Pale Orc was nowhere to be seen. Thorin turned back to his nephews, who were looking at the fleeing orcs, slow smiles of triumph and disbelief spreading across their faces. Despite himself, he began to smile too. Somehow, impossibly, they had made it. He strode forward, throwing his arms around his nephews.

"We made it," he breathed, then let out a laugh.

They both beamed at him.

"I think all the others did as well," Fili remarked, looking back to where the other company members stood. "We really owe Danica,"

Thorin nodded. "That, we do,"

Fili and Kili started walking toward the others, as Dwalin came striding toward them. Thorin smiled at his old friend, then froze when he saw Dwalin's eyes widen at something behind him. Before he could turn, or anyone else could shout a warning, something collided into him, knocking him to the ground.

"NO!" the scream was feminine, as was the breathless grunt that soon followed. He knew that grunt, as well as the slick sound of a blade passing through flesh. Jumping to his feet, he swung Orcrist with a savage yell, just as Dwalin's axe sunk into Azog's skull. The orc was dead before he hit the ground.

Dread squeezed his chest as he dropped to his knees beside Danica. Her eyes still fluttered, but the blood was seeping from her chest at an alarming rate.

"You're going to be alright," he murmured feverishly. "Someone get Gandalf! Dwalin, get something we can wrap her chest with,"

"Thorin, I don't think- "

"Do it! Now!" he didn't look to see if his orders were being followed. Instead, he kept his eyes on her. "Why did you do that?"

Her lips lifted ever so slightly, a small trickle of blood dropping from the side of her mouth. "I told you; I came here to save you," she coughed, choking on the fluid filling her lungs. "You are alive, and so…I regret nothing,"

"Shh, don't speak," he soothed. "Save your strength,"

"I think…it's a little…late for that…now," her eyes were sad. "It's funny…I have wanted death for so long, and now…that it is here, I wish…to live. For the first time…in my life, I want…to live,"

He had to blink away the tears that stung his eyes. "You will. You will live. I have a promise to keep, remember? I cannot atone for my sins if you die,"

"You…will become…the king…I saw. The good king…that I know you can be," her eyelids drooped further, and he could feel her growing cold, so he held her tighter. "Bring peace to…this land. Help those…who cannot help themselves,"

A tear slid down his cheek. "I promise,"

With whatever strength she had left, she opened her eyes, and looked at him, then brushed her fingertips to his lips. "Please,"

Everything, and everyone had gone silent around them, but Thorin hardly noticed. He cupped her cheek, leaned down, and pressed his lips softly to hers. Her body relaxed in his arms, then finally went limp. Not wanting to believe it, he looked at her face, stroking her cheek. There was no color there, nor breath from her mouth. Her features were completely still, and at peace. A sudden wave of grief took him, and he cradled her against him, burying his face in her neck as he cried silently. He could hear sniffles around him, but still did not look up. Only when her body began to fade did he open his eyes. In shock, he stared as she disappeared, leaving no trace but the blood that remained on his clothes, and stained the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N.** A lovely cold is going around my house right now, and turned into bronchitis for me, so the last couple of weeks have been a joy. Ha. Thank you to those who have continued reading and responding! It makes my day any time I get a notification. ^_^  
 **priya24626:** It was a really sad scene to write. :/ But don't worry, the story isn't over yet!  
 **Kelwtim2spar:** A mystery to be explained soon. 😊  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

There had been no body to bury, as if she had never existed at all. But she had, and she was the only reason Thorin was alive. So, he mourned her death with his Company while others remembered the warriors who had fallen in battle. Kili suggested building a statue for her, but Balin reminded him how much the other dwarves would dislike the idea. Though Thorin knew Balin was right, he wished they could do as Kili said. As king, he was servant to his people, and would do as they wished. Even if it meant finding someone to marry. Fili was crowned prince, but only until Thorin had a child of his own, and he knew it was something his people wanted for him.

He honestly had not thought of marriage or children in a very long time. For some reason, thinking about it now was almost unbearable. The only woman on his mind was the one he'd lost forever. Even two months later, as he ruled as King Under the Mountain, his heart grieved for her. He had barely known her, but somehow knew that he would have loved her with everything he had. In his madness, he had certainly wanted her with everything he'd had. To be robbed of the chance to love someone like that was nearly enough to drive him back into madness.

Never again would he find that kind of feeling, but, maybe, with time, he could find someone to respect, and feel affection for. A lot of times, that was all one could hope for as a monarch. There were plenty of strong, lovely, high-born dwarrow dams. He had even enjoyed the company of a few of them in conversation. Once enough time had passed for Erebor to settle into some kind of normalcy, he would send letters to each of the kingdoms announcing his intention to marry. Those who were eligible would come flocking to the mountain in droves. Maybe he could find matches for Fili and Kili as well.

 _"Thorin,"_

The voice was like a whisper on the wind, and came to him as he sat in front of his fire, contemplating his future. His head snapped up, looking around for the source, but he was alone. Brow furrowing, he tried to brush off the sense of unease.

 _"Thorin,"_ it was louder this time, full of pain, and very familiar.

He shot to his feet. "Danica?"

It was impossible, unless he had truly lost his mind. And yet, he was sure he felt her presence, as if she were there next to him. Ghost stories circulated in very race, but in nearly every one, the spirit had something they had left undone. She had saved them, which is what she had set out to do. True, he didn't know her very well, but that had seemed to be her main purpose.

 _"Help me,"_ her sob echoed around him, and he could feel her presence weakening.

"How? Danica, what do I need to do? Where are you?"

Nothing. He was alone again, with no answers. A knock on the door had him jumping slightly before admonishing his paranoid behavior.

"Come in," he called, not sure if he was relieved at the interruption, or even more vexed. When Bilbo walked in, he relaxed a little. "Bilbo, what can I do for you?"

The hobbit shuffled. "It's been two months, and while I have enjoyed being here with all of you, this is not my home,"

Thorin nodded, understanding. "You are leaving,"

"Tomorrow, yes. Gandalf will escort me back to the Shire. Balin insisted on having a feast, so everyone is meeting in the great hall,"

"I will be there shortly," he smiled at their burglar. "I never did thank you for everything you did for us, and for me. You stood up to me when no one else would,"

"Except…" Bilbo didn't say her name, but it hung in the air. After clearing his throat, Bilbo continued. "You are my friend, Thorin. I only wanted to help,"

Always so humble. "You did, and I cannot thank you enough for that. If ever you need help, the dwarves of Erebor will answer,"

"Thank you," Bilbo gave one his warm smiles, then went out to the feast. Thorin stayed a moment longer, taking one more look around the room. He thought he heard a sigh, but wasn't sure if it was her, or his mind playing tricks on him.

The feast was huge, with all of the Company, as well as many of the other residents. Many of the dwarves viewed Bilbo with varying levels of respect and curiosity. It was known that halflings kept to themselves, so having one cross the world to help them was song worthy. A fact that made Bilbo incredibly uncomfortable. Thorin enjoyed it all for a while, but his earlier "encounter" with Danica lay heavy on his mind. He waited until everyone else was otherwise engaged, and then moved next to Gandalf. The wizard was the only one who may not think him insane.

"Will you take Bilbo all the way to Bag End?" he began, sipping from his tankard.

"Likely just to the border of the Shire," the wizard responded. "He will be safe enough from there. Now, what did you really want to talk with me about?"

Thorin ground his teeth for moment. Gandalf's direct manner had him caught somewhere between appreciation and annoyance.

"Have you ever had experience with spirits? Those left behind after death?" he could be direct as well.

Gandalf frowned slightly, carefully considering the words. "Not often, but it has happened. Why do you ask?"

"Before Bilbo came to get me, I heard Danica," he was encouraged by the lack of skepticism in the wizard's face.

"Go on,"

"She called my name, and begged me to help her. She sounded terrified and in pain," and it hurt him to remember it. "I thought I was going mad, but now I know what I heard,"

"I believe you," Gandalf replied seriously. "Though I did not see what happened when she died, the tale alone is curious enough. I must confess that I also felt something odd at the end of that battle,"

Thorin frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Magic, the likes of which I have not felt in a long time. It could not have been her doing. She was an oracle, and that is the extent of her power, though I will say that you two seemed to have a strangely close blond,"

Something Thorin could neither deny or explain. "Do you know how she was able to contact me, or how to help?"

Gandalf sighed heavily. "I am afraid not. Not yet, anyway. Let me ponder about this, and we will speak again before I leave," not waiting for a response, he stood, and took his leave.

Though he was sure the feast would last well into the night, Thorin slipped out early, desperately feeling the need for sleep. He was glad to be in Erebor, but missed the simplicity of his days in Ered Luin. Then, his biggest worries had been the flow of trade with the nearby settlements during winter. Days when he had the freedom to go search for his father, leaving the mountain in the hands of his sister and nephews. Not like that mattered now. Gandalf had already told him about the death of his father at Dol Guldur. News he was sure would rest heavy on Dis.

 _When he finally managed to sleep, Danica's face was what greeted him. It shocked him. Not because of her death, but how she looked. Bruises marred her too-pale skin, her eyes and cheeks were gaunt and sunken in. Those eyes stared right past him, devoid of any emotion. He reached toward her, but his fingers slipped through her, causing him to jerk back._

 _"Danica?" he murmured, almost afraid of breaking the silence. There was no response. She just continued to gaze ahead._

 _Curiosity and unease had him turning to observe their surroundings for the first time. It was dark, with only the moon, and a single candle providing light. The room was four walls of plain, cold stone; a cell. Danica sat on a decent-looking cot, blankets piled around her to keep her warm. On the table beside her sat the candle, and a pitcher of water. He walked to the small window, and saw snow-covered mountains that stretched across the horizon. Was this Rhu_ _̂_ _n?_

 _When the cell door opened, it groaned and creaked so loudly that Thorin jumped, automatically reaching for a weapon. Though he had none, he stood protectively in front of Danica. An older man walked through the door, wearing robes of red and brown. A thick, dark gray beard fell below his chest, and his head was sheltered by a hood which still allowed his face to be seen. Something about him reminded Thorin of Gandalf, and the other wizard but this man felt cold and dark rather than benevolent._

 _He seemed oblivious to Thorin's presence as he walked across the room with a bowl of bandages and ointments. Sitting next to her, he peeled the blankets away from her torso. Beneath, she was naked except for bandages wrapping around her chest. Somehow, impossibly, she had survived. The angry, puckered scar on her skin proved it. Magic was the only explanation, but he had never heard of someone surviving such a wound, nor being transported like that._

 _"You appear to be stronger today," the sorcerer rasped, tending to the wound, before wrapping it in the fresh bandages. "Will you cooperate today?"_

 _She turned angry, defiant eyes on him as a response. Completely unperturbed, he shrugged._

 _"You could have recovered fully by now if you would stop fighting,"_

 _"I know," she finally spoke, looking forward again. The tone of her voice clearly told both men that she wanted to die._

 _Rage coursed through Thorin's veins as the wizard pressed his fingers to her temple and closed his eyes while tears filled hers. She set her jaw, fighting against whatever magic was being used against her, though it obviously caused her pain. Eventually, she lost the battle. Her eyes squeezed shut, hands clenching the blankets before she screamed._

"NO!" Thorin lunged toward the wizard, and woke up sitting in bed.

Throwing his blankets aside, he quickly dressed, and practically ran to Gandalf's room. His guards tried to follow him in a panic, but he waved them away. When he pounded on the door, it was with such urgency, that Gandalf answered almost immediately. He likely hadn't gone to sleep in the first place.

"She's alive, and we need to find her,"

 **P.S.** Dun, dun, duuuuuuun. 😉 Hope you liked the chapter! Please review and comment!


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N.** Hello everyone! I hope your springs are going well. We're having a bit of a cold snap right now, and though I love it, I am also ready for sun and warmth. So, this chapter has taken a bit longer to write because I started it out one way, and then decided to rewrite it to see if I liked it another way.  
 **Likarian:** Thank you! ^_^  
 **priya24626** : I had initially intended to have her die, and make the story shorter. Pretty glad I didn't. 😊 Thank you for your review!  
 **Kelwtim2spar:** I hope you like this chapter too! Thank you for reviewing!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.

Gandalf and Thorin sat in front of the fire, smoke floating around them from Gandalf's pipe.  
Thankfully, the wizard had believed his dream was real, but seemed even more troubled by it than Thorin had been.

"Are you sure it was a wizard that had her?" he asked, eyes dark and intense.

"Beyond a doubt. He was using some kind of magic on her. She was in agony,"

"Could they have taken her back to Rhûn?"

"I believe so. There were mountains outside that did not look like any I had seen,"

Gandalf nodded. "Alright. The group you take will need to be small in order to stay as inconspicuous as possible,"

Something sparked Thorin's suspicious intuition. "What aren't you telling me?"

With a small sigh, Gandalf set his pipe aside. "It is not just wizards who can use magic. Elves are known to have their own magic, and even some men are born with certain abilities, such as Danica. However, there are others; ancient ones who are powerful, and serve the Valar. Many went to the East, and it is feared that some of them have fallen to darkness. If that is so, then they are a great danger to this world, especially with an oracle in their grasp,"

It was all bigger than Thorin could have imagined. Despite that, he was still only concerned for Danica. Whatever was happening, she was caught up in it. Gandalf could think about the rest of the world, but he was going to bring her home. So, he pushed to making plans, and managed to get it done in a quarter of an hour. By the time he walked back to his chambers, it was nearly dawn. Some of the adrenaline had worn off, and he wanted to get at least a little sleep before leaving. It was not to be. Dwalin stood in front of his door, flocked by Fili and Kili. Without a word, he gestured for them to follow him inside. There was no point in telling them to wait until later. He could see the determined curiosity in all their eyes.

"We were told that you ran out of your room in a hurry, and practically barged in to Gandalf's," Kili stated. "What happened?"

Thorin wasn't sure where to begin. It was easier to speak about magic with a wizard than his own people.

"Danica is alive,"

They all blinked, expressions frozen for a moment. Kili and Dwalin suddenly exploded in questions, then were nearly halfway out the door before Thorin was able to stop them. Fili was smiling.

"When do we leave?"

"Not you," Thorin shook his head. "You need to stay here and be acting king,"

"But you are king," Fili protested. "This is what we fought so hard for,"

"And what she nearly died for. What king of a king would I be if I abandoned the woman who saved me?"

"I know ye feel indebted to the lass, but this kingdom needs someone who can help it return to its former glory. Something ye did for our people in Ered Luin,"

Thorin looked at his closest friend. "That is true, but I was much younger at the time. This is something I have to do, Dwalin,"

Dwalin's lips pressed together. He knew a lost cause when he saw one. "How is it, that ye fall in love with a human woman after only a few days, yet ye couldn't find a wife after over a century?"

Smiles spread across everyone else's faces.

"There was nothing I could have done," Thorin responded truthfully.

Kili moved in front of him, and put a hand on his shoulder. "I am happy for you, Uncle, and will help you find her. She saved all of us,"

Pride and affection warmed Thorin's chest. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against Kili's. "Thank you,"

"I will go too," Dwalin stated, tone firm.

"Thank you, my friend, but I need you to stay and help Fili,"

"Do you not think I'm ready?" Fil's voice was soft, but his expression was intent.

Thorin approached his eldest nephew and heir. "You are ready. More than you realize, but these are difficult times, and you will need protectors as much as advisors,"

Fili nodded, but the stubborn light remained in his eyes. "Dain is still here while his son rules the Iron Hills. He could both protect, and advise me, as could Balin, Gloin, and plenty of others. As acting king, I would feel more at ease if I know Dwalin was with you and my brother,"

It would be difficult to refuse him, and he made some good points. So, Thorin acquiesced wit a nod of his head. Kili could barely stand still as his obvious excitement grew. The young dwarf never could resist the idea of an adventure.

"We should go pack. I assume we will be leaving soon?"

Dwalin chuckled. "Easy, lad. There's still a few people to talk to yet,"

"He's right," Thorin admitted reluctantly. "I would like to leave by midday at the latest, but we must speak with Balin and Dain,"

That conversation did not start well. Balin was understanding, and agreed that Danica needed to be rescued, but wanted Thorin to let others go. Dain, while respectful of all Danica had done, found the idea of risking lives for a human girl ridiculous. Anger had stolen some of Thorin's patience, and he had nearly sent his cousin back to the Iron Hills. Balin had interceded, stopping them before anything damaging could be said.

"It was a bloody dream, Thorin!" Dain yelled. "You are risking yerself for a dream!"

"Gandalf believed it to be true!" Thorin shot back. "Danica was an oracle, and somehow, her gift reached out to me,"

"This is madness," Dain spat, glowering. Balin had to keep a hand on Thorin's arm to keep him from punching the red-head.

"Perhaps, but one we should all understand," the elder dwarf said, causing both of the others to look at him in confusion. "I believe Miss Danica is Thorin's One,"

Dain shook his head. "Impossible," he scoffed.

Balin raised a brow. "Is it? True, it is rare for a dwarf to love outside of our race, but it is not unheard of. It would explain some of his behavior toward her while he was under the dragon sickness,"

Thorin cringed slightly as Dain frowned. They hadn't told anyone about the specifics of his madness, and he hadn't wanted to. Balin gave Thorin an apologetic grimace, but continued.

"He turned jealous and possessive over her, something we all know he would never do otherwise. Even with the dragon sickness, it was strange. Gold is what causes it, and normally remains the object of obsession. The only reason Thorin would turn his attention to a person is if he was pulled by something other than mere attraction,"

It made sense, and would also explain how he had come to love her so quickly. He looked to Dain, who seemed to acknowledge the information, but didn't want to accept it. The Lord of the Iron Hills crossed his arm, and turned away from them, muttering in Khuzdul about how ridiculous the whole thing was. Finally, he sighed, or growled, and turned back to them, resignation plain on his face.

"Alright. I may not like it, but if she truly is yer One, then ye cannot leave her out there. Durin help ye both once ye return, but even the most critical know the consequences of separating soul mates,"

Previous anger forgotten, they embraced. "Thank you, cousin,"

"Go on, now. We will keep an eye on yer nephew, and make sure the mountain doesn't fall while yer gone," Dain gave a crooked grin, and clapped Thorin on the shoulder.

Just before midday, the Company stood at the gates, bidding farewell to Bilbo, as well as their king and friends. Gandalf was missing, as was Bofur, but they were both notorious for being late. The goodbyes to Bilbo were more bittersweet, as no one knew if they would get the chance to see him again. For Thorin, Kili, and Dwalin, there were good wishes instead of goodbyes. Fili looked positively tortured as he parted with his brother. He was the heir, and would od his duty, but did not love it. For the first time, Thorin began to wonder if having a child of his own to become heir would be better for Fili. Both of his sister's sons had a love and thirst for freedom and adventure.

When Gandalf and Bofur walked up, everyone was surprised to see both of them ready for travel.

"What is going on?" Bilbo asked, looking shrewdly between the two.

"I'll be taking you home," Bofur replied with a smile.

"And I will go with you," Gandalf said to Thorin. "If both the blue wizards have her, you will need my help. Besides, I do not think any of you have been that far east,"

"It would not be a true adventure without a wizard to guide us," Kili grinned, and though it was said with youthful eagerness, Thorin agreed with him. Having Gandalf with them would make the way easier, and it was true that none of them had been so far as Rhûn.

"You are always welcome with us," he said. "And I will be forever indebted to you,"

Gandalf smiled wryly. "If you help me defeat the enemy, we will call it even,"

A chuckle rumbled in Thorin's chest. "Fair enough," he turned to Bilbo, who looked unsure of the whole situation.

"I wish I could join you," he said regretfully. "But it will have been over a year since I left the Shire, and I do not want anyone to take over my house,"

With a warm smile, Thorin extended his hand, which the hobbit took. "You have done more than enough for me and my people. Now it is time for you to return to your books, and armchair. To plant your seeds, and watch them grow. You deserve peace, Bilbo,"

Tears glistened in Bilbo's eyes, and he looked down for a moment, twitching his nose in an attempt to gain composure. He only marginally succeeded.

"So do all of you," his voice shook slightly. "I hope you find it,"

There were many hugs, and then they all set out, one party going west, while the other went east, into lands unknown.

 **P.S.** Sorry if there are some discrepancies or errors in this chapter. I have been fighting bronchitis, and have barely been able to keep my eyes open most of the time. Reviews and comments please! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N.** Thank you to all who have been reading this story! There are times I really doubt my writing, but you guys help. 😊  
 **priya24626:** As always, thank you so much for your review. 3  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

The Iron Hills were only a few days away from Erebor, and offered a short reprieve from what would be an exceedingly long road with no foreseeable finish. Even their destination was somewhat unknown. Rhûn had seemed the most likely place to start, but then Thorin had remembered Danica's description of the lake in the mountains. When he spoke to Gandalf about it, neither of them could remember anything like it in Rhûn, and so had decided to travel directly east. The eastern mountains were widely unknown, but there were some small settlements that may know of any activity there. It was all they could hope for at the moment, and even that was a shot in the dark.

"It all sounds like a faerie story," Dwalin muttered doubtfully as they approached the Iron Hills. The Red River ran beside them, it's strange color staining some of the soil that bordered it.

"Like stone giants and thunder battles?" Kili rose a pointed brow, to which Dwalin just shrugged.

"Much of the world is made up of faerie stories," Gandalf said. "More than you realize,"

A party led by the young Thorin III awaited them at the base of the hills, where the road seemed to disappear. Unlike Erebor, the entrance to the mines of the Iron Hills was hidden from public view. Gandalf and Thorin, however, knew the way, which made the welcoming party a bit unusual.

"Hello Thorin, son of Dain Lord of the Iron Hills," Gandalf called.

"Gandalf," the young dwarf acknowledged, then looked to his kin. "Hail Thorin, King Under the Mountain. We rejoiced when we heard of your victory,"

They all embraced, and made introductions where necessary.

"My father sent a raven letting us know about your likely visit," Thorin III continued. "We have had our own ravens on watch since then,"

Thorin nodded. "Thank you for greeting us. Did your father divulge the nature of our journey?"

So young was the temporary Lord of the Iron Hills that he could not completely mask the confusion and disapproval. "He did,"

Not much was said outside of small talk as they walked through the gates. All the dwarves they passed gave respectful bows and words of welcome, but it was obvious they did not much like the idea of their king going after a human woman, no matter the fact that she had saved him.

"I am sure the people will want to throw a feast for your arrival," Thorin III smiled, relaxing a little. "Many of them have not met you, and those that have, have not seen you in years,"

Something in those words had Thorin's intuition flickering. As he narrowed his eyes slightly, he could see Thorin III shuffle in discomfort. However, their young host cleared his throat, and gestured to one of the dwarves behind him.

"If you would like to rest and clean up first, my men can show you to your rooms,"

"We would be much obliged," Gandalf said with a smile

Rest was vital, and since they had no idea how long their journey would be, or just how far it would take them, they would need to take advantage of their time in the mines. And yet, every moment felt like a moment lost. Their main hope in finding Danica was that her captors did not know they were coming. Whatever it was that connected him and Danica could also possibly alert the enemy, and if that happened, how could they possibly catch up? He was completely unable to get it all off his mind as he washed and changed in the room he'd been shown.

"Excuse me, my Liege," a knock on the door preceded a blonde-bearded guard carefully opening the door. "They are beginning the feast and would like you to say a few words,"

Of course they would. Holding in a sigh, he nodded. "Lead the way,"

Thankfully, most of the dwarves were too excited to listen to a long speech. Taking the guard's words literally, Thorin gave only a few of his own before inviting everyone to begin the festivities. The great hall was filled with dwarves of all ages, and from nearly all the clans. Since many of the other kingdoms had been abandoned, the clans had been forced to co-mingle. Male and female dwarves laughed, sang, and danced together and, eventually, Thorin found himself smiling. It had taken a few drinks, but he began to enjoy the distractions around him. At the request of those who already knew him, he sang a couple of songs, but never danced. There were plenty of dams who asked him to, but there was only one woman he would dance with. This didn't stop them from eyeing him like a piece of meat.

One pair of eyes in particular kept him on edge, despite all the alcohol. Those eyes were hazel green with flecks of gold, and held an intimate familiarity. Freya was a highly sought-after dam. She was a part of the Longbeard clan, and a distant cousin of Thorin and Dain. Her hair was a rich, warm brown, and curled in a softer, more elegant manner than most other dwarrow dams. Thorin had first met her years ago when Thorin had gone to the Iron Hills after Smaug's attack. They had instantly connected, and remained friends as he searched for a new home for his people. Her letters had been a light for him through some of his hardest times. He had even considered marrying her, and had invited her to stay for a while once they had made Ered Luin habitable. It had only taken one, drunken night for him to realize the truth. Though he felt affection for her, he could never love her the way she wanted, or deserved. By the look in her eyes, she hadn't given up yet.

"She would be a good match," Dwalin murmured, missing nothing.

Thorin looked away from Freya, and shook his head. "We have had this conversation,"

Dwalin shrugged one shoulder. "Aye, but ye may be her last chance,"

"I sincerely doubt that. Look at all the dwarves pining for her. She is not lacking in potential suitors,"

A snort of derision left Dwalin as he glared at the so-called suitors. "None of them would be able to keep up with her,"

"Perhaps not," Thorin replied with a chuckle. "Still, I cannot be untrue to myself, or her,"

"Aye," Dwalin agreed with a sigh.

After a couple of hours, Thorin slipped out, wanting to get as much rest as possible. He and Gandalf did not want to stay any longer than a couple of days. Much to his chagrin, he had barely begun undressing when someone knocked on the door. Wishing he could just ignore it, he trudged to the door, and started slightly when he saw who was on the other side.

"Freya,"

 **P.S.** Sorry for the short chapter, and for any typos that may be in here. My brain has been absolute mush the past few weeks, but I really wanted to get this posted. Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N.** Sorry this chapter took a while! With the new season of Game of Thrones going, my mind can be a little preoccupied. Lol. Thanks for your patience!  
 **priya24626:** ^_^ Your comment made me smile like a dweeb.  
 **UnaLouise:** Thank you for reading and commenting! It means a lot, and helped me through a writing funk. :)  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.

"May I come in?" she spoke lowly, but confidently.

"Of course," he stepped aside, allowing her in. "It has been a long time. You are looking well," he shut the door behind her, and offered the only seat in the room besides the bed. She remained standing.

"I had hoped you would come to me," she said, clasping her hands in front of her. "Are the rumors true, then? About the human?"

As usual, she wen right to the point.

"Yes," thorin confirmed with a nod. "It seems impossible, even to me,"

Freya's face was a mask of carefully-concealed emotions. "I suppose I should have known after you did not ask me to marry you that night. To be honest, I was confused for a long time. Why, after all of our letters, would you make love to me the way you did, and not propose?"

Guilt stabbed through him at the memory. It was something he never should have done, but he had been incredibly intoxicated, and she had been so alluring. He still should have said no. Not only to save her honor, but also her heart. He opened his mouth, but she vehemently shook her head.

"I do not want your apologies. It would make me feel weak. All I want is the truth. Did you ever love me? Even a little?"

Her small show of pain moved him, but he didn't want to hurt or offend her by trying to comfort her.

"Yes," he answered. "More than a little,"

She smiled and nodded, eyes glistening. "Good. I can have that, at least. What is she like?"

"I am afraid I did not have much time to get to know her," relaxing a little, they both sat; she on the chair, while he took the bed. "But she proved herself to be brave, kind, and selfless. Not to mention incredibly stubborn," he said the last bit with a chuckle.

"Sounds like your type," Freya mused. "Was she beautiful?"

It wasn't something he had spent much time focusing on. Yes, he had been attracted to her, but he had always known it was her heart and soul he had been drawn to. Thinking about her snow, he realized just how striking she was. Honey and milk in her skin and hair, with piercing gray eyes. Her mouth was rich in color, and shaped like a blooming rose.

"She is," he answered.

With keen eyes, Freya studied him, seeming to dissect him layer by layer. It was a talent she had always possessed, and made it difficult to lie to her.

"What exactly happened?" she asked. "All that is known is that she came to save you, having seen a future where you died,"

Thorin sighed, not completely sure he wanted to divulge that tale. However, he knew ow subjective Freya could be, and it could help to talk to someone who hadn't seen him in that state. So, he started from their arrival at Erebor, and how the sickness had quickly taken him. She looked distressed by that fact, but remained silent. All through his story, she kept quiet and attentive, never showing judgment. Part of him felt guilty for telling her about his time with the woman he had fallen in love with. By the end, all she could do was sigh as he had at the beginning.

"And somehow, though all of that, you are here. How can any woman compete with that?" she gave a wry smile, and patted his hand affectionately. "I wish you all the best, and hope you are able to save her,"

She stood, and before he could stop her, closed the distance between them, and kissed him soundly on the mouth. For a moment, he was so stunned he couldn't respond. Then, she pulled back, watching his face closely. Whatever was, or was not there had her lips twitching.

"Forgive me, but I had to try one last time. I suppose this is farewell,"

Smiling, Thorin stood as well, and walked with her to the door. "Farewell for now. I hope this is not the last we will see of each other,"

"Perhaps not, but you needn't hope for another kiss; I am no one's second choice," head held high, she walked out with all the confidence of a queen.

As he closed the door, Thorin pitied the next dwarf who tried to win her heart. It was a humoring thought, and kept him in a light mood until he had finished preparing for bed. Then, the concern began to grow again. Knowing this would happen, he had requested that a harp be brought to his room. Playing was something that soothed his mind, and was the only hobby he had allowed himself to indulge in from the time he was little. Thinking of Danica, he began to sing, and a part of him wished she could hear him, and know where he was.

* * *

Every part of her ached. Her captors had kept her as weak as possible without actually killing her. In her absence, the number of men and orcs had grown, and the two sorcerers seemed even more on edge, and more desperate for her visions. Any time she seemed less-than-forthcoming, they had her beaten. What food they gave her she was sure had poppy and other sleep agents in it, because she nearly always felt half-asleep. Most of the time, she couldn't tell what was real, and what was a dream. She knew there had been a couple of times she had seen Thorin, and called out his name, but knew those were dreams without a doubt. It broke her heart every time an image of him slipped unbidden into her mind.

When she heard a harp playing, she thought she had fallen into another dream or hallucination. Thorin's face swam into view, then all of him as he began to sing. Tears stung her eyes, letting her know she was awake. The tune he sang was a like a beacon through the fog of her mind. His surroundings became clearer, and she realized she was seeing him in the present, but he didn't seem to be in Erebor. Fighting against the malaise holding her down, she tried to see exactly where he was. Though she did not recognize the dwarven fortress, she knew it was likely Iron Hills. A hope welled within her, but was nearly instantly extinguished. For all he knew, she had died in his arms. Besides, even if he did come for her, it could easily cost him his life. Concentrating harder, she tried to glimpse the future, and was shocked to see him with the wizard, Dwalin and Kili, battling their way through the snow of the mountains…her mountains. Eyes flying open, she returned to her small cell, but no longer felt despondent. It would take all the willpower she had left, but she would protect this from the sorcerers, and do what she could to make their path easier. Despite herself, she smiled. He was coming for her, and there was no way in hell she would just sit idly by until he got there.

 **P.S.** Thanks for reading! I always love getting comments and reviews. 😊


	11. Chapter 11

**A.N**. Sorry this chapter took so long! Kids and sickness took over my life.  
 **priya24626:** Thank you! It's coming up!  
 **UnaLouise:** Thank you so much! I hate those cliffhangers too, and yet I write them. Lol.  
 **TikiKiki:** Thanks for the review! Yes, there will be a sequel, I'm just working on rewriting it.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot.

Against all odds, Danica managed to keep her secret safe from her captors, and began working on how to begin her escape. The best chance for both her and Thorin would be for her to somehow get away from the sorcerers. Where they were, there were too many enemies to fight, and the place would be like a maze to Thorin and the others. In order to hide her thoughts, she let them have some of her visions; ones of someone, or something, whispering over a ring, and another battle before the gates of Erebor, with men and dwarves she didn't recognize. Her cooperation saved her some grief, but not all. In order to discourage her from returning to Thorin, they cast a spell, making one of their orcs appear to her as the dwarven king. With that face, and with his voice, the orc assaulted her over the course of a few days. Sometimes, it would be a reenactment of the night before the battle. Except there was no Fili to help her.

She fought for the first couple of times, and then just closed her eyes, and tried to shut herself off. In those moments, she would focus on the moment she heard Thorin singing, and would hear another voice soothing her, though she couldn't understand the words. Even so, there were times she thought about ending her life to save everyone the trouble. No one could use her, and no one would be risking their lives to save her.

"Get up," an orc had flung her cell door open, then strode purposefully into the room. He gave her no chance to obey his order, instead just grabbing her roughly by the arms and dragging her out. When they reached the sorcerers' study, he dumped her at the feet of the one who looked like an old man. She never had learned their real names, for they never wanted her to use that information against them. Instead, they had made her chose names for them. This one she called Pento.

"We are leaving," he said, gathering up some scrolls and books without so much as passing her a glance.

Surprise jolted through her system, and she was sure Pento sensed it. "Leaving? Why?"

"Our location has been discovered," now he did glance at her, as if he thought she had something to do with it. "I am sure this relieves you greatly. However, you should know that they are hunting you as well,"

Another surprise. Why would someone be hunting her? Who would eve know of her existence besides Thorin and the others? "Why?"

"Because there are those who believe you are a threat," the other sorcerer, whom she called Eliya and wore the face of an elf, walked from behind a shelf. "Your little escape act made your presence known to more than just your dwarves. Now others in the east are seeking to destroy you so you cannot help us,"

If she could only tell these hunters that she didn't want to be helping, maybe they would just take her away. Unfortunately, they were right; in the hands of her captors, she was a threat to the good of this world. Panic had her breath coming in short, shallow spurts. There was no time, but she somehow needed to let Thorin know what was happening.

'Let me help you,' a voice whispered.

Barely concealing a gasp, she looked around, but no one was paying attention to her. She knew it wasn't one of the sorcerers, but had to be someone with magic.

'Who are you?' she asked silently, praying that whoever it was could hear her.

'A friend. Someone who believes your death is an unnecessary waste,'

Skepticism tried to quell the hope within her, but didn't fully succeed. Before she could reply, Eliya ordered the orcs to grab her, and lead her out to the caravan.

"In case you get any ideas of helping someone find us…" he placed an opaque sack over her head, and began chanting with Pento.

She knew this spell, and knew there would be no point in protesting. So, she put all her conscious effort into silently crying out for help, praying someone would hear her pleas.

'Thorin, please, if you can hear me; they're running. This location has been discovered by someone else, and the sorcerers have taken me somewhere,'

* * *

Danica's voice interrupted a nondescript dream, and had Thorin jerking awake. They had left the Iron Hills a few days ago, and were crossing the flatlands, heading east. Gandalf had been on watch, and instantly looked over, eyes alert and waiting. Thorin held up a hand, listening for her voice again. When a few moments of silence passed, he moved closer so he could speak softly and not wake Kili and Dwalin.

"We are going to need to change course," he said darkly. "Someone else is hunting them, and they are going to another location,"

Gandalf sighed deeply through his nose. "Already taking a shot in the dark, and now we have a moving target. However, if we can somehow catch them on the road, we may be more successful,"

"Is there anyone we can ask to help?" Kili sat up, his eyes bright enough to show he'd been awake for a while.

Dwalin grumbled as he also woke up. "If yer going to speak loud enough to wake the dead, ye may as well fill me in,"

"They're moving locations," Thorin said.

"So, they are going from one place, which was unknown to us, to another, which is also unknown. Do we even know what direction to go?" Dwalin's voice was dripping with disdain.

Thorin and Gandalf shared a glance before Gandalf spoke. "If they were in the eastern mountains, as we suspected, then the only direction for them to logically go would be south. If they went north, they would be isolated, and with someone hunting them, that would do them no good,"

"If they're going south, we may be able to intercept them," Kili said hopefully.

"Depending on where their original location was," Dwalin pointed out.

"They were further north than here, and will have a slow journey due to the time of year,"

Thorin was not the only one to jump at the arrival of the two elves. Dwalin glowered, but Gandalf looked relieved, and even pleased to see Thranduil's son, and the red-haired captain.

"Legolas, how did you find us?" the wizard asked, smiling as he stood to greet the newcomers.

"We received word that some of the elves in Rhûn have been hunting a pair of sorcerers who have amassed a small army of orcs, and are aided by an oracle," Legolas passed a cautious glance to Thorin before continuing. "They wish to destroy the oracle, but once we heard of your mission, we knew you would have a better chance of convincing them if we came along,"

"Why?" Thorin asked suspiciously. "Why would you help us?"

"Because we saw what she did for you, and heard the tales," the female replied. "She does not deserve to die,"

"The elves in the east have asked for help before, but my father has always wanted to keep our people safe within our borders,"

Dwalin snorted derisively, and though Thorin remained silent, he shared the sentiment. Legolas gave a brief, dirty look, then turned his attention back to Gandalf as he continued speaking.

"There has been a war in the east for many years, and the oracle got caught in the middle of it,"

"Danica," Thorin said, unable to keep the sharpness from his tone. "Her name is Danica,"

At first, the elf prince's eyes were narrowed, but then his face relaxed, and he tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"The two blue wizards went into the east long ago to fight that very war," Gandalf spoke, moving subtly between Legolas and the others. "It is concerning to me that they have not been able to handle these sorcerers yet,"

"Perhaps there is more danger than any of us realized," the female warned.

They were ominous words, and had Kili looking at him uncertainly. None of this gave Thorin any pause or doubt. His focus remained solely on saving Danica.

"Did the elves tell you where they believed the sorcerers would go, specifically? Just knowing that they're going south is not enough,"

Sensing more tension, the female put a hand on Legolas' arm, then answered herself. "Their first home was Rhûn, and we have a spy among them who has said before that they were contacting some of their allies in that area,"

Frustration had Thorin frowning. "Why did you not mention this spy in the first place?"

"We have been taking it one question at a time," Gandalf replied, tone both placating and scolding. "Do you have a way to get a hold of this spy?"

Legolas shook his head. "Not without compromising his position. He sends his falcon whenever possible, and since his last message was about the likelihood of them leaving, I am sure he will send another soon,"

"Until then?" Kili asked with a raised brow.

"We make our way to Rhûn. It will be faster to travel down Carnen to Celduin. We may be able to find some help in Dorwinion, though we will have to be careful. The Avari are not known for their love of other elves, but are known to be hostile. Thankfully, the clans in Dorwinion have been softened somewhat in their friendship with the men who settled there. Besides that, Tauriel is related to one of their own,"

They all looked at her with surprise. Kili was the one who spoke, always having been more comfortable with her than Thorin would have liked.

"How so?"

She looked at him, unsure at first, then relaxing at his friendly face. "My grandfather was one of the Avari, of the Penni clan. He was one of the first to follow King Oropher to Greenwood. He had two sons, one of whom was my father, the other is the father of our spy,"

"Which explains why you have so much faith in him," Gandalf nodded understandingly. "Well, it is still late, so why don't we all get some rest, and we can continue our journey in the morning?"

No one was sure how to feel about the new arrangement, but they all held a common goal, and had already fought together. Thorin would never like elves, but a part of him was relieved to have their help. With them, their chances of succeeding were that much greater. Before he fell asleep, he sent a prayer to Mahal to guide them, and protect them.


	12. Chapter 12

**A.N.** Hello all! This chapter isn't going to really have a lot of action, but it has some important details leading up to the action in the next couple of chapters. Also, and some of you may be disappointed, I am not going to have a romance between Tauriel and Kili. They do have a connection, and are friends, but that is it. Don't hate me!  
 **UnaLouise:** I just knew I couldn't keep those two out of this. Lol. As for the alerts, I haven't been getting anything either. I get some when I update my own stories, but none from anyone else, or from reviews. :/  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot lines.

The journey down the river was not an easy one. They had gone back to the Iron Hills to get proper supplies, and boats to take them down to the first waterfall. With the elves by their side, the reception had been cool, but was eased by their quick departure. Each of their three boats was large enough for two of them, and their cargo. Thankfully, the elves took a boat to themselves, so the dwarves never got stuck with them. However, the cold weather followed them for miles, with bitter winds biting any exposed skin. By the time they reached the dock, they were more than ready to leave the water behind. Some of the Dorwinion men had created a settlement near the dock, giving travelers and traders a place to rest, and sell some of their wares. The group was able to spend a night in a tavern; the first good night's rest they had gotten in weeks. In the morning, they were able to buy a couple of horses, which would be turned in to the horsemen's partners in Dorwinion.

Journeying on foot was harder than the river, but not due to the weather, which was, admittedly, miserable. The tension between the three dwarves and the elves was palpable. Thorin and Dwalin struggled to even speak with the elves, and Kili seemed to have a particularly bad rapport with Legolas. It was obvious that their disagreement centered around Tauriel. Thorin knew his nephew well enough to see the friendship between him and the female elf, and though Thranduil's son kept his emotions hidden, he was sure he recognized the looks passed between the prince and the captain. They loved each other, but something kept them from acting on it. Thorin had a strong suspicion that "something" was King Thranduil. Despite all this, he and Dwalin had a hard time watching Kili fraternize with Tauriel.

Much of the time, they all remained silent, focusing on the surrounding area for signs of trouble. Dorwinion was only two more days away when a falcon arrived with a message for Legolas.

"It is from your cousin," he said to Tauriel before breaking the seal. Everyone waited with bated breath as the elf's eyes scanned the small scroll.

"Well?" Thorin pressed impatiently.

"She is still alive," he began. "They are keeping her asleep as they move. It looks like the main caravan is going to hide in the forest before making their way to an island in the Sea of Rhûn. Some of them, including our spy, are going to Dorwinion to pick up supplies. We can meet up with him there for a brief period, and discuss our next move,"

"If they are going to an island, then our next move needs to be getting there first, and ambushing the bastards," Dwalin said.

"Not a bad idea, if we had more numbers," Gandalf pointed out. "An ambush on an island, with nowhere to run would likely result in death. They are already being hunted, which means they are going to be extra cautious. We need to find these hunters, and tell them where the sorcerers are headed,"

Thorin nearly joined Kili and Dwalin in their protestations, but then he caught Gandalf's eye. By the look on the elves' faces, they had the same idea as the wizard. The more he thought about it, the more Thorin realized it was the only idea that made sense, no matter how risky it would be. With a quick wave of his hand, he silenced the chaos of Kili and Dwalin's voices.

"The caravan will be most vulnerable on the water," he said. "They will be separated on boats, and if we can catch them the same time as their hunters- "

"They will be caught off-guard, and be less likely to put up a good fight," Kili nodded knowingly.

Dwalin pressed his lips together doubtfully. "How do we know these hunters won't just massacre them all before we can get to the lass?"

"We don't," Gandalf responded darkly.

When the made camp that night, Thorin could see Tauriel deeply troubled over something. She was serious most of the time anyway, but her brow had remained pulled in concentration ever since the falcon arrived. Eventually, the others noticed as well. Assuming it was about their impending attack, they all let it be. After they ate supper, she sighed, no longer able to keep her silence.

"I need to go find the hunters. Some of them are undoubtedly Avari who know of my uncle, and possibly my grandfather. If I tell them of our plan, they may be willing to work with us,"

Legolas shook his head, looking concerned. "They may also take you prisoner,"

"Then I will go with her," Kili declared, causing Dwalin to grumble, and Legolas to frown.

"If you go, then they will kill you, and most definitely take her prisoner," Legolas argued.

"He is right," Thorin said reluctantly, stopping Kili before he could continue the verbal battle. "Your place is with me,"

Tauriel began to gather her things. "I have traveled on my own plenty of times, and have met some my distant kin. Please, trust me," she directed her last statement at Thorin.

He looked at her, studying her eyes closely. She held his gaze, and all he saw was compassion and determination in her eyes. Finally, he nodded. Tauriel made her farewells, her eyes lingering on Legolas, before she stood. To all of their surprise, Gandalf stood as well.

"It is more likely that the hunters will go straight for the sorcerers. I need to be there if that is the case. My presence will also take all of their attention, allowing you to sneak by,"

It was a painful truth, but truth nonetheless.

"Are you sure this is the only way?" Thorin asked, fearing they may not be successful without the wizard by their side.

Gandalf gave him a reassuring smile. "Do not worry. I leave you in good hands,"

Kili and Dwalin looked less than pleased, but Legolas' face showed determination. He looked at Thorin, and Thorin only.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to reunite you two, and get you home safely,"

Suspicion clouded any hope Thorin may have felt. "Your father made a point of turning his back on my people. What makes you any different?"

Anger furrowed the prince's brow. "My father is a good king. Yes, he was only at your battle to claim what was ours, but he stayed. I did not have to be there, nor warn you of the second army, and yet, I did warn you, and fought beside your people,"

The anger he had shown was nothing compared to what vibrated through Thorin. "You were only at that battle because of her," he pointed to Tauriel. He did not know how the others were reacting, but could feel their hesitation.

"And you have abandoned your throne for a human woman," Legolas shot back. A moment of stunned silence followed before the elf sighed. "My father was wrong to turn his back after Smaug attacked. There is a lot that he and I disagree on. What is important right now, is that I am here, and will help you in any way I can,"

They stood just a couple feet apart, the others waiting to see if Thorin would accept Legolas' words. It was a difficult pill to swallow, but at least Legolas had admitted his father's wrong-doings. Some of them, anyway. Pushing down his pride, he offered his hand for the elf to shake.

"We are here on common purpose, and I thank you for that. Perhaps, with this, we can put the past behind us,"

"Perhaps," Legolas responded, and Thorin could have sworn he saw a glint of humor in the prince's eyes. At least this was a start.

 **P.S.** On to some action! :D Reviews and comments would be appreciated.


	13. Chapter 13

**A.N.** I have honestly lost track of how much it has been between chapters. :'( Been struggling with mental health, and even once it got somewhat back under control, rehearsals for two different concerts kept me pretty busy. Hopefully this hasn't been too long for you all! Thank you for your patience, and for continuing with this story! (Rewrote some of this due to noticing a discrepancy...my bad).  
 **Tibblets:** Hello again! And thank you! ^_^  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original story and plot points.

Sounds of wind and water pulled her from her dreamless sleep. For a while, she did not know who she was, or where she was. The creatures leading her from place to place frightened her, but thus far had not harmed her. Everything around her seemed like a strange, blurry dream. It wasn't until they reached the wooded shore of a wide, stormy sea that things became clearer. The caravan was making camp, and as she stared at the choppy, grey waters, Danica tried not to panic. Rhûn. So much time had passed. By the tension in the camp, though, their hunters must still be on their tail.

"I see you have awoken," Eliya stood behind her, looking out as well. "We kept you sedated in case you decided to try something foolish,"

"And now we have reached your other home," she responded, her voice slightly scratchy from lack of use.

"Not just mine. And there is no need to sound so disappointed. Once we reach the island, your life will be safe. It would not have been had you escaped,"

"Safe," she gave a disdainful laugh. "Safe to be used like a tool, a slave, then disposed of when I am no longer needed,"

He shrugged, not even bothering to deny it." Lucky for you, our master will not be able to fulfill his plans for at least a few decades,"

She clenched her jaw. "And if I should lose my Sight?"

Her words had him turning his head sharply to look down at her. "Then your usefulness will have run out. We would give you to the orcs for their pleasure, and once they eventually got bored with you, they would kill you themselves. If you survive their games, that is,"

A chill went through her at the thought, but she refused to let it show.

"Do not wish so strongly for death," Eliya said walking away. "You may just get it,"

She glared after him, hatred burning within her. Every time she had been angry, or hate-filled before, the sorcerers would always find a way to snuff it out and replace it with fear. No longer. For the short time that she had been with the dwarves, she had started to see what it was like to be treated like a person. To feel respect, and even warmth. The more she remembered those moments, the more determined she became to know that feeling again.

'They have a plan to rescue you soon,'

It was the same, warm voice from before. She couldn't remember hearing it since they left the eastern mountains, and breathed a sigh of relief hearing it now.

'And you? Will you help as well?' she asked silently.

'I will help in any way I can,'

'Will you tell me who you are?'

'No. Now is not the time, but know that I am near, and have been watching over you. If the sorcerers try to make you sleep again, I have put seeds in the belt of your dress. Chew a couple, and they will counteract the magic. You will need to be awake,'

'I will be. Is there anything else I can do?'

'Do not lose hope, and do not lose yourself,'

It was like this person had been inside her head before; in the moments when she had lost hope, and become an empty shell of a person. This time, if she was going to have any chance of a future, she needed to take this "friend's" advice. All she had to do was hold on a little longer, and freedom would be within reach. Looking up, she saw a break in the clouds, revealing a star in the twilight sky. Focusing on it, she said a prayer.

* * *

Thorin looked at the star, feeling almost melancholy as the clouds moved, hiding it once again. Impatient, he looked over at Legolas.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" he growled.

"The message said near sunset. It shouldn't be much longer," Legolas replied tersely, keeping his attention to the woods.

Kili and Dwalin were already inside the tavern, holding a private table for when Tauriel returned with their spy.

"Here they come," Legolas had kept his gaze toward the woods, pretending to ignore Thorin's pacing.

Tauriel appeared first, followed by three other people. Two were obviously elves, but the other was less graceful; likely of the race of men. All three were male, and all had either black, or brown hair. The two elves both had stern, almost cold looks on their faces. Once they saw Thorin, their looks darkened. Legolas moved forward to greet the newcomers, and Tauriel spoke first.

"This is my cousin, Nathir," she introduced the man first; their spy, though Thorin was unsure why he looked so little like an elf. "And this is Leilan, and Domast,"

"Thank you for meeting us," Legolas began. "I am Legolas, son of King Thranduil, and this is Thorin, son of Thrain, King Under the Mountain,"

"We know who you are," the one called Domast responded, sounding almost accusatory. "Let us disperse with the niceties, as they will waste all of our time. There must be a very specific reason you had us brought here,"

Thorin frowned. This elf would be lucky to make it to dawn. By the irritation in Tauriel's eyes, she felt the same. He wondered how she had managed the journey without killing him. Gandalf's absence was glaringly noticeable, but they hadn't had time to ask any more questions, as Legolas quickly led them inside. The tension only grew when they joined Kili and Dwalin at the table. Elves and dwarves regarded each other with a distaste so strong it was palpable. Thankfully, Legolas got straight to business, allowing no time for offensive remarks.

"Did you speak with Mithrandir?" he asked the other elves.

"We did," Domast nodded, not looking pleased at the memory. "He is currently with the rest of our group, helping them prepare for an attack,"

Legolas shared a look with Tauriel, then nodded. "Good. Are you willing to work with us?"

"There are still some aspects we are unsure of," Leilan said. "You are here to get the oracle. That is what Tauriel told us. We work together, and her life gets spared. Then you take her back to your mountain, to use her power for your own purposes," he threw the accusation with as much disdain as possible at Thorin.

"Why, ye filthy, son of a…" the rest of Dwalin's statement was in Khuzdul, but the meaning was crystal clear.

First, the dark elves stood, then the dwarves, throwing insults back and forth with enough intensity to disrupt the rest of the tavern. Before the situation could get worse, Legolas and Nathir intervened. Eventually, everyone sat back down, quiet, but with their anger still simmering.

"What if she no longer had visions?"

They all looked at Nathir, who had finally broken his silence.

"What do you mean?" Thorin questioned.

Nathir turned his deep, brown eyes to him. "Her Sight is just as dangerous to her as it is believed to be to everyone else. Perhaps there is a way to…bind her power, so to speak,"

Thorin looked at Legolas and Tauriel. "Is such a thing possible?"

"Gandalf mentioned the possibility before we left," Tauriel responded. "It was the only way the others would let us return here,"

"At the very least, would you believe her life to no longer be a threat?" Nathir questioned of the two dark elves. "I am sure Gandalf has convinced your kin, but we need assurances from you, as well,"

Though he very much wanted this option to be real, and would be grateful to Nathir for suggesting it, Thorin felt suspicious. "Why do you care about her life?"

It was Tauriel who responded first. "As I have stated, he is my cousin, and has been a spy among the sorcerers for quite some time,"

"That does not answer my question," he kept his eyes on Nathir, imploring him to answer.

"No one should have to endure what that young woman has suffered in her life," he said. "Over time, I have spoken with her, and gotten to know her. Though she does not know that I am a spy, she at least knew that I would not hurt her. She is good, and kind, and I would like to make sure the remainder of her life is spent in peace and happiness. No one deserves it more than she,"

Leilan shook his head. "All of that aside, unless we can be sure that her powers will no longer be a danger, it is too much risk to allow her to live. One life cannot overshadow the safety of an entire world.

Thorin nearly dove over the table, wanting very much to choke the life out of the elf. However, something in his eyes, as well as in Kili and Dwalin's had Domast considering them differently.

"If we do not agree to help you, you will sabotage us at every turn, won't you?"

"Yes," the resolute answer came from all three dwarves, though Thorin's was the strongest.

Leilan's nostrils flared ever so slightly; the only hint that he was getting angry. Domast continued to study them.

"Why is she so important to you?" he inquired. "We heard how she saved your lives, but that hardly seems reason enough to go to these lengths to save her,"

It was likely not meant as an insult, but felt like one, nevertheless. Thorin swallowed an insult of his own before answering.

"We dwarves hold loyalty, honor, and sacrifice in great esteem. Despite what you may, mistakenly believe, we do whatever we can to return the gestures of those who bestow upon us such traits,"

His half truth fooled no one. Nathir's eyes bored into him, and the other two elves' countenances were once more clouded with anger.

"Speak truth, or the sorcerers will not be our only enemy on that sea," Leilan warned.

"He loves her," Tauriel declared, no doubt evident in her voice, or face. "Just as strongly as lovers from our own race. This meeting is nothing compared to what he would do for her,"

Thorin was unsure how to feel at her being able to read him so easily. It was unnerving to hear one's own feelings before they could fully sort through them, themselves. Nathir looked convinced, while the other two looked to Legolas for confirmation. When he nodded, Domast looked back at him, Kili, and Dwalin. After a brief stare down, he sighed.

"Very well. We have a deal. Now, what is the plan?"

 **P.S.** Ok, now we are back on track. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**A.N.** Hello all! So, this chapter is going to be a bit longer, because a loooot happens. All the action happens here, and now. 😊 At least you don't have to wait for another update!  
 **UnaLouise:** Thank you. It has been an interesting health journey. Ha. As for Thorin, yeah, poor guy. I know I would hate that. Thanks for commenting! I really appreciate it! And I'm glad that my uploading speed is good!  
 **Dislcaimer:** I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.

It was a dangerous plan, at best. There was so much room for error, and for all of them to perish. The most likely result would be them getting the timing of everything wrong, and missing the caravan completely. They were relying entirely on Nathir's signal, which had Thorin more on edge than he'd ever been in his life. Thankfully, they had been able to meet up with Gandalf and the other hunters just before setting sail. Gandalf would be the main distraction, leading the attack aboard a ship manned by the hunters. Thorin, Tauriel, Kili, and Dwalin would follow in a smaller, faster vessel. Leilan and Domast were also with them, making sure they didn't try to trick them.

Nathir, once again, was the centerpiece. Amidst the chaos, he would help Danica get off the sorcerer's ship, and back to Thorin. His falcon would fly to the ship she was on, so they could be ready. Too many things could go wrong, and none of them were in his control. The most he could do was wait, and watch.

Danica had been kept awake while they waited for a few of the sorcerer's men to return from town. She and the sorcerers would take one of the smaller ships, leaving the larger one for the bulk of the orcs, and supplies. It would take a day or two to reach the island, so Eliya began preparing the draught that would put her back to sleep. Knowing there would be no use fighting him, she had sought the seeds in her belt, and chewed them as her "friend" had instructed. When given the draught, she let her eyes close, as they always did, but her mind and body remained awake.

"Are you sure it is wise for the both of you to remain with her?" she heard one of the men, Nathir question. "We are most vulnerable on the water, and the Avari know how valuable she is to you,"

"What do you suggest?" Pento countered in his raspy voice. She could hear some of the orcs stomp over, sensing a change in plans.

"Keep her on the smaller ship. Only one of you should be with her, but remain out of sight. Whichever one of you is on the large ship will hold the hunters' attention, allowing the smaller ship to slip by, unnoticed. Once you have reached the island, the rest of our army will be able to protect you,"

The orcs made sounds of approval at the plan, while Danica tried to keep her face relaxed.

"It is a good plan, but I believe you should be on the smaller ship as well," Eliya said. "You are our best warrior, and the one who brought her to us in the first place,"

Whatever was said after that fell on Danica's deaf ears. Nathir had been the only one who never hurt her. To find out that he was the one responsible for her current predicament cut deep. If the plan to rescue her succeeded, she found herself hoping he would die.

* * *

Lightning split the sky above them, followed quickly by the clap of thunder. Thorin could feel the charge in the air, and watched as it lifted the hair on his arm. They had boarded the ships, and set sail once they saw Nathir's falcon fly overhead. As they got further out, a fog began to set in, and the winds died down. An eerie quiet filled the spaces between the booms of thunder. In the ever-deepening black of night, Gandalf's staff led the way, dampened by the fog.

"How are we going to find them in this?" Dwalin grumbled softly.

"They do not know we are coming," Thorin replied. "We may be able to hear their voices,"

"What is that?!" Kili stood next to them, pointing down into the black sea, except it wasn't entirely black. Something was moving beneath the surface, giving off a faint, bluish-white glow. Whatever it was, it was huge.

"We may have more help than we thought," Tauriel's voice seemed to come from nowhere, as none of them had heard her approach.

Thorin looked from the creature, who seemed to be pacing them, to Tauriel. "Why do you say that?"

She frowned a little. "I cannot say for sure. It is only a feeling. There is a power to that creature, that is not familiar to me, yet it does not feel evil,"

They all wished to question her more, but the light on Gandalf's staff went out. Still as could be, they all listened closely, rewarded by the rough voices of orcs, and a few specs of light from their torches. Those lights reflected in the fog, allowing them to see the shadow of the larger ship ahead of them, looming like a ghost. For a few, breathless moments, nothing happened. Unseen predators silently followed their unwitting prey. Then, the ships broke through the fog, and all hell broke loose.

* * *

Yells, and small explosions had Danica's eyes flying open. She had been put in a cabin of some kind, and was currently alone. Her hands were still tied, but her feet were free. Swinging them off of the cot she'd been laying on, she stood, and carefully made her way out into the hall. Footsteps thundered above and around her as orcs ran hectically to and fro. Pressing close to the wall, she managed to make it up onto the deck, and hide behind some barrels.

Just a short distance away, Pento's ship was locked in a battle with another. Smoke and flame rose high into the cloudy sky as the orcs tried to put out the fires erupting all around that ship. One of the perpetrators came close enough for Danica to see before it fell into the sea, but it just looked like a small fireball. It looked like fiery hail being rained down from the attacking ship. The orcs on her ship were preparing to join the fight, but Eliya stood in front of them.

"We stay here, and make our way to the island, as planned," he ordered. "Our window of opportunity is perfect right now,"

When the orcs protested, he pulled out a whip, cracking it menacingly to the side. Danica flinched, having known the bite of that whip on her own skin. She felt her hair lift and sizzle as the electricity around them grew. Her eyes widened in fear as the charge became visible on the whip. At least a few of the orcs must have also known the pain of that weapon, for they backed up, silently returning to their posts. Nathir stood beside Eliya, hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Are you sure you do not wish to help them? The wizard- "

"Has more power than Pento and I combined. All we can do is use this to our advantage," Eliya moved away, barking at the orcs to sail the ship to the island as quickly as possible.

Danica looked around for a way to cut the rope on her hands. The water was getting choppy as the winds grew, but was still swimmable. She took a tentative step away from her hiding place, but was instantly thrown to the side as something collided with the ship. Pain shot through her left arm, and feared she'd heard a crack.

"We have hit something in the water!" Nathir called, looking over the edge, to see if they had run aground on something. "Someone check below!"

"We are taking on water!" an Easterling man called from the stairs. "If we hope to keep the ship afloat, we will not be able to go anywhere soon,"

Gritting her teeth against the pain in her arm, Danica stood and looked over the edge into the water. At first, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then, a soft glow appeared, getting brighter as the creature swam closer to the surface. At first, Danica thought it was a giant fish, but then she saw the tail. Even with everything else happening around her, Danica breathed a sigh of awe.

"What is a whale doing here?" Nathir wondered aloud.

"That is no whale," Eliya growled. "We cannot win this fight. Get the girl. Our only hope now is to row back to shore on one of the boats,"

Heart pounding, Danica ducked out of sight again. There was no way she could swim now, which left her trapped.

'If you're there,' she called silently, 'I could really use your help,'

'Jump,'

'I can't! My arm is broken,'

'Jump. I will swim for you,'

Something clicked in her brain, and she looked back to the water. She didn't know how, but she was sure the whale was her "friend." Fear had cold sweat sliding down her spine, but she would rather die than remain a prisoner, and whoever the whale was had already helped her. Unfortunately, before she could even stand, a shadow fell over her.

"Stay quiet," Nathir whispered, crouching in front of her with a knife in his hands. She jerked back, but all he did was cut the rope on her wrists. "I am going to get you out of here,"

Once her hands were free, she pulled away from him. "Just so you can take me to another cell. I heard everything. I know you brought me to them,"

At first, his eyes widened, but then he shook his head. "We do not have time for this. I met with Thorin. He is coming in another ship, which I promise I will get you on,"

Everything in her life had taught her not to trust pretty promises, and after what she'd heard, she doubted this man even more.

"Another ship is coming!" one of the orcs barked, temporarily diverting attention. "It is coming fast, and looks to be in ramming position,"

"Do you believe me now?" Nathir murmured, grabbing her uninjured arm and pulling her along the perimeter of the deck.

Chaos reigned around them. Darkness, deep and blinding had settled over Rhûn. Pento's ship was like a giant torch burning on the water. The attacking ship was also headed their way, and there was no way out, especially with the damage the whale had done.

"I suppose I should not be surprised," Eliya blocked their path, eyes dark and dangerous. "A death sentence would have been your punishment, but it does not really matter now, does it?"

Nathir slowly stood, nudging Danica behind him. "There is no need to do anything rash," he said calmly. "If you let us go, we will make sure you reach the island alive,"

Raising a brow, Eliya looked at the remains of their other ship. "None of us were meant to live through this attack," striking out with elven swiftness, he wrapped his whip around Nathir's neck, stabbed him, and flung him overboard. Then, he turned his gaze to Danica.

"All I can do now, is make sure you die too,"

* * *

Everything was falling into place. The first ship was destroyed, and they were quickly closing in on the one Danica was on. For one, brief moment, Thorin thought their plan may actually work. That's when it all went horribly wrong. Thorin stood beside Tauriel, both of them preparing to board the other ship. She let out a small gasp when the deck came into view. Someone had bound Nathir with a whip, then stabbed him before throwing his body over the side, and out of sight. Thorin was sure the person had been the other sorcerer.

"We need to board," he urged softly at first, then yelled when the sorcerer lifted Danica by the throat. He could see the odd angle in her arm, and knew it to be broken.

"You may have defeated us," the sorcerer cried out, "but you will never have her!" he brandished his knife, and Thorin's heart stopped.

An arrow sliced through the air, perfectly striking the knife from the sorcerer's hands. They all looked over to see Legolas standing next to Gandalf on their ship, his bow in his hands. The sorcerer snarled, then cursed as Danica kicked him hard in the ribs. Pride welled within him as she pulled from captor's weakened grip. With the ships now close enough, the Avari hunters anchored and boarded, beginning the final assault. Thorin was the first on deck, fighting his way through the orcs to get to Danica. When he finally reached her, she was on the other side of the ship. They ran into each other's arms, and he heard her sob of relief.

"You found me," he heard her murmur.

"Did you truly doubt I would?" he pulled back slightly, smiling at her.

Without warning, she was ripped from his arms, a whip around her throat. Wasting no time with words, the sorcerer bashed Danica's head into the rail, then pushed her over the side. Not even thinking, Thorin abandoned his weapons, and dove in after her.

The cold water momentarily shocked him, but then he was swimming as fast as he could to her before she sank below the ever-violent waves. Once he had his arm around her waist, he lifted her face out of the water, and tried to kick back to the ship, where Kili and Dwalin were throwing a rope out to them. His hand was reaching out for it, when a wave crashed over them, forcing them below the surface. No matter how hard he kicked, he couldn't beat the strength of the sea. He was losing breath when he saw the white-blue glow of the whale. Moving fast, it swam beneath them, rising to lift them back into the air. Gasping for breath, he held on to the creature's dorsal fin as it took them back to the ships. It stopped in front of the one Gandalf stood on. Thorin didn't notice much else as he grabbed a rope, and someone pulled them aboard.

It was beginning to rain as he and Gandalf instantly knelt by Danica's unconscious form. There was blood streaming from her head where she had been struck, but it did not to be too serious of a wound. Thorin was more concerned about something else.

"She's not breathing," he breathed desperately. Giving no one else the opportunity, he began pressing on her chest, and blowing air into her lungs.

Gandalf focused on her head, sitting above her with his hands on her temples. His eyes were closed, and he appeared to be mumbling something.

"Thorin…" Dwalin's voice was the same as it had been when she'd lain, bleeding in his arms.

"No!" he yelled, continuing to wish and breathe life back into her. Her lips were cold and blue, but he couldn't give up. He couldn't lose her again. "Not this time,"

He paused for a breath, closing his eyes to pray. Pray to Mahal, and even God, Himself to bring her back to him. With a suddenness that startled all of them, she coughed, water ejecting from her lungs. Gandalf helped turn her to the side until she could breathe clearly. Her eyes fluttered open, glazed, then locked onto Thorin. She smiled. Sagging with relief, he pulled her into his arms again. He buried his face into the growing warmth of her neck, holding on as tightly as he dared. Though he said nothing now, he knew he would never let her go again.

 **P.S.** Hopefully that wasn't too long for you guys! Thanks for reading! Comments and reviews always appreciated!


	15. Chapter 15

**A.N.** Hey y'all! So, it's been a hot second. Lol. Got busy with my concerts, and had the worst writer's block.  
UnaLouise: Yay! Thank you so much! I normally struggle with battle scenes, so I'm really happy this one came across well. 😊  
 **willi492:** It's so nice to have them back together. ^_^ Thank you for commenting!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

Her body had been so exhausted, she kept nodding off in Thorin's arms. Thanks to the wizard, her head no longer felt like it was about to split open, but her entire body ached. Once everyone boarded their proper ships, Thorin carried her down into a cabin. He laid her on the cot, then pulled up a chair to sit next to her. She turned on her side, and took his hand. Something felt different, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Instead of focusing on it, she looked up into Thorin's face.

"Why did you come for me?" she asked softly. "You could have died,"

A soft smile lifted his lips. "You brought me out of my madness, and gave your life for me. This was the least I could do,"

She desperately wanted to believe him, but the only value in life had always been her Sight. Her doubt must have been plain on her face, for he began to stroke the back of her hand. Still, her breath hitched with panic.

"But…for you to risk your throne for me…it makes no sense,"

"I told you in Erebor, that I was drawn to you, but couldn't completely understand why," he waited for her nod before continuing. "Dwarves do not fall in love the same way humans do. It had become less common as time has passed, but when it does happen, it is only once,"

A slight blush crept across her cheeks. "Fili had said Balin had some kind of idea of why…well,"

Despite the guilt at his past actions, his lips twitched. "Why I claimed you? Yes, Balin has a talent for figuring out matters of the heart before the rest of us. Anymore, you could be called my 'One.' There were none before you, nor would there be any after,"

It felt strange, and she watched him closely, her eyes searching for any sign of deceit. He held her gaze, his eyes open and earnest. It seemed he did not blame her for her hesitation. Keeping his eyes on hers, he moved slowly forward, giving her the chance to say no. She didn't. As gently as he could, he kissed her. Only when she sighed in response did he slightly deepen the kiss. When he broke it, he framed her face with his hand.

"I love you. Just as surely as you told me in Erebor,"

Her eyes misted, and a tired, but touched smile lifted her mouth. "It all seems so impossible. Like something out of a dark fairytale, and my mind cannot keep up,"

Warmth spread through her when he pressed his lips to her temple next. "Then do not fret over it just now. Rest, knowing you are safe, and free,"

"Thank you," she breathed, before letting exhaustion pull her lids closed.

* * *

He had allowed himself to rest next to her, his body needing sleep as well. When he awoke, he was stiff, and unsure how much time had passed. Danica was still deeply, and peacefully sleeping. Not wanting to disturb her, he carefully slipped his hand out from hers, and ascended to the deck. A soft, afternoon light glowed through thin clouds. The ship had been docked, but not for long, as the crew members were still moving cargo. Gandalf stood at the helm, looking out over the water. Thorin joined him and, for a while, they remained silent.

"She won't remember them," Gandalf spoke suddenly. At Thorin's inquisitive look, he continued. "The whale; she was a maia, and has been watching over Danica for a while. When she touched you both, she was able to remove Danica's worst memories. She will know that she was held captive, and will remember her visions, as well as her time in Erebor,"

A few emotions flew through Thorin, leaving unsure what exactly he should feel. Instead, he turned to logic. "What of her Sight? We told the Avari hunters that we would make sure she no longer had visions," by the lack of tension in the air, he knew there must have at least been a temporary resolution reached.

Gandalf gave a small nod of his head. "The maia was able to accomplish that as well. Danica should be able to live a long, peaceful life," the wizard looked down at him for a moment, and saw the questions that hadn't yet been asked. "What she went through was so traumatic, she would never have been able to have a normal life. The nightmares and fear would have been too much as she tried to transition into her new identity. This way, she stands a chance,"

For which Thorin was extremely grateful. And yet, he sighed. "It will still be difficult, won't it? Where do we go from here?"

"Only the two of you can answer that. For now, we will take her back to Erebor, where she can figure out what she wants to do with her freedom," at Thorin's sharp look, the wizard sighed. "It is her life, and she has never truly been able to decide what she wants. Even love can become a cage,"

Anger pounded in his ears, but he had no words to say. Mostly because a part of him knew that Gandalf was right, and feared the possibility of Danica leaving. After all, it was a wide world, and she'd only seen some of it. But he couldn't let her go. It gave him near physical pain to think about.

"Are we going to Erebor?" Danica's small voice drew their attention back to the entrance of the berth. She was wrapped in a blanket, eyes a little dazed and confused.

"Yes," Thorin replied, recognizing how distant his voice sounded.

She nodded, and walked over to them. "It's strange, but I feel as though some of my memories are missing. Could that have happened because of the battle?"

"What do you remember?" Gandalf questions softly.

"It feels like everything, and yet…there are dark spots. No, that's not quite right. Empty. Like there should be something there, but there isn't," she frowned, as if trying to conjure the missing memories, then looked at Thorin and Gandalf. "Do you think they will return?"

She was really just looking to Thorin for her answers, but he found himself unable to speak. So, Gandalf responded instead, explaining things much the way he had to Thorin, but gentler. Just like Thorin, he seemed unsure how to feel. In the end, she nodded, still looking unsure and they all disembarked together. Tauriel and Legolas were with the Avari, while Kili and Dwalin arranged transport and supplies. The moment Domast saw them, he walked over, and blocked their path.

"We held up our end of the deal," he stated irately. "Can you promise she is no longer a threat?"

The rage rose again, and had Thorin stepping in front of a wide-eyed Danica. "How dare you?" he growled. "Gandalf has already told you it was taken care of,"

"That is not enough. After all the lives that have been lost because of those sorcerers, and her power, we need more proof," ignoring the angry curses from Thorin, and attempted persuasion from Gandalf and Tauriel, Domast looked directly at Danica. "Could you bring forth your visions before?"

Behind Thorin, Danica hesitated. "Sometimes, but not always,"

Domast nodded. "Alright. Bring one forth now,"

* * *

Panic tightened Danica's chest as she shook her head. "It has always been unreliable. I don't know if- "

"Try," with a flick of his hand, the other hunters raised their weapons. "Your lives depend on it,"

While yells of protestation rose up around her, Danica shut her eyes, and desperately focused inward. It took only moments for her to feel the emptiness where her Sight used to be. No matter how hard she tried, her mind remained firmly in the present, with not even a hint of a vision. With her head beginning to ache, she opened her eye.

"I'm sorry," though her voice was soft, it silenced all of the chaos instantly. "I can't. I can't see anything,"

The one called Domast stared at her mercilessly, then gave one sharp nod. All the weapons lowered, and Danica breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Are you quite finished with your test?" Thorin inquired, voice venomous. To the side, Kili and Dwalin arrived with a couple of horses, and a carriage. Sensing the tension, they quickly frowned, bodies tight and ready for a fight. Thorin lifted his hand slightly, which kept them at bay.

"Yes. Here we will part ways, and we shall bother you no further. I hope you will give us the same courtesy,"

"Go with peace, then," Gandalf said, before any of the dwarves could say anything. Legolas and Tauriel bid their own farewells in elvish, and then the Avari were gone.

"About time," Kili muttered.

"Good riddance," Dwalin agreed. Then he turned his eyes on Danica. "Ye alright lass?"

She nodded. "I think so,"

Kili gave her a wide grin. "Are you ready to go home?"

Once again, she heisted. Thorin turned to face her, and she could swear she saw fear in his eyes. Giving a small smile, she nodded, and took his hand. "Let's go,"


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N.** Hello, and happy fall season! Not quite there yet, but my husband and I have already begun decorating. This is our favorite time of the year, so we can't resist. Sorry this chapter took a while. I've been busy with rehearsals, and with the kids, and my brain has been complete mush. Thankfully, I've finally been able to get back on top of things, so here we are!  
 **willi492:** Thanks for commenting! 😊  
Thank you to everyone who has been following, and reading! I love you all!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters, and plot points.

Who was she now? Who, and what did she want to become? These were the questions that plagued Danica as they made their way back north. Though many of memories had been hidden away, she still knew how she'd felt in captivity. Her Sight had been her identity, and she'd never been able to create one of her own. The only choice she'd really had in life was comply, or die. Even in loving Thorin, there hadn't been a choice. One vision, and she had fallen. Hard. She loved him still, more than ever, but did she really want to be a queen? There was so much she didn't know, even about herself. How could she help govern a people that she knew next to nothing about? Freedom had always been a fantasy to her; a foreign concept. Now that it was in her grasp, it called for her to use it, and explore. Explore the world, and peoples she had seen in her visions, but never first hand.

Thorin watched her carefully, as did Gandalf, though they both tried to hide it from her. Everyone was gentle with her, which only left her feeling vulnerable, and unsure what she should do or say. When the elves left them just before the Iron Hills, she felt senses of anxiety, and relief. Two fewer people to have watching her, but also two fewer people to be a buffer between her and the dwarves of the Iron Hills. The thought of facing those dwarves absolutely terrified her. When she had first arrived in Erebor, there had only been 13. Now, she would be facing an entire kingdom.

She was practically quaking in her boots when they arrived at the gates. Kili held her hand as they followed Thorin in, amidst cheers for the king's safe return. Despite all the smiles for Thorin, Kili, and Dwalin, many people eyed Danica suspiciously. Some even with distaste. Thankfully, they were led to rooms fairly quickly, and she was able to have a little time alone. It had been obvious that Thorin wanted to join her, but that would have been outrageously inappropriate.

The room was much smaller than the ones she'd had in Erebor, but were certainly nicer than the cells she was used to. Snow had begun to fall outside, so fires had been lit in all the rooms, keeping it warm. Unfortunately, there were no windows. Danica felt trapped, closed in, and had trouble breathing. Sinking to the floor, she kept her eyes on the flames, letting their dance and heat soothe her nerves. It worked so well, that she wound up falling asleep in front of the fire, waking up with a start when someone knocked on her door.

"Who is it?" she asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Thorin. May I come in?"

"Of course," she wasn't used to people knocking, let alone asking for permission to enter. When the door didn't open right away, she rose, and opened the door.

"Forgive me," he said. "I did not mean to wake you, and was unsure if you had locked the door,"

"I am not used to having a lock," she closed the door, just then noticing the bolt. Would she feel more at ease with a locked door? "How long have I been asleep?"

"Only a couple of hours," he responded. "I came to ask if you would like some dinner,"

"Yes, thank you," she took a step toward the door, but stopped when he put a hand on her arm.

"Perhaps you should comb your hair first," it was not said unkindly, and his lips raised ever-so-slightly.

Confused, she reached up, and felt how her hair had gotten mussed during sleep. "Sorry," she apologized bashfully. "I have never had to worry about my appearance,"

His smile grew warmer. "Do not fret over it. Would you like some help?"

She nodded, then sat down so he could brush and braid her hair. Though she enjoyed the feel of his fingers in her hair, she couldn't ignore that there was something awkward between them. All of the questions and doubts she had seemed to be mirrored in him. Neither knew how to comfort the other. Perhaps only time could solve it.

Whatever Danica had been expecting for dinner, it wasn't what she walked in to. Their small group sat at one end of a long banquet table, which was filled with platters of food, and lined with many other dwarves. Danica's chest constricted painfully when the once-loud chatter died down at their entrance. As nearly every pair of eyes looked their way, she took a fearful step back. Thorin reached back, taking her hand.

"It's alright," he encouraged softly. "You are not alone,"

* * *

She followed after him, but he could see that she was plainly terrified. Kili and Dwalin also saw her wide eyes, and gave her encouraging smiles. Thorin Stonehelm came and introduced himself, expressing his relief to see her alive and safe. When he made a comment about everyone knowing her heroic deeds, her polite smile faltered, and her face whitened. Dwalin began another conversation with Stonehelm, taking his attention away from Danica. Unfortunately, a few other dwarves were brave enough to approach, and wanted to thank her for her bravery. To her credit, she kept a smile for each of them, and attempted to be as gracious as possible. However, because of all the stress, she wasn't eating. Thorin stayed long enough not to be considered rude, then excused the both of them, stating the need for rest. As they walked out, he caught a servant, and asked for some of the food to be brought to her chambers so she could eat.

The whole way back to her room, they remained silent, and he could see how fragile she was. There was no way she would be able to find peace in Erebor in her current state. It may be less crowded than the Iron Hills, but the chaos of re-habitation was a lot for anyone. Plus, she struggled with all the attention.

"I'm sorry," she sighed once they entered her room. "For takin you away from your people. It was all so much, and I'm just…I am so tired,"

When her shoulder slumped, he pulled her into his arms. "I know. You do not need to apologize,"

She nodded, then began to quake, her breaths coming in short spurts as she tried not to cry. Her efforts were in vain. He picked her up when her knees buckled, and took her to the bed, where he held her as she fell apart. Even with her most painful memories gone, she still suffered from the torture she endured, and years of neglect. His own heart ached greatly for her pain, as well as his failure in not knowing what to do. All he could do was hold her.

"Your Majesty? I have the food here," the voice outside the door sounded hesitant, likely having heard some of Danica's sobs.

Giving her forehead a quick kiss, he untangled himself, and answered the door. Quickly thanking the female servant, he took the plate of food, and the mug of ale. When he turned back to Danica, she was sitting up, arms wrapped tightly around her chest. Tears were still on her cheeks, but she was no longer sobbing.

"You should try to get something to eat," he suggested, placing the food in front of her as he sat beside her.

At first, all she did was stare at the plate. To his relief, she finally reached out, and began taking small bites. It was obvious, by the droop of her eyes, that they would not be able to discuss anything more that night. So, when she finished eating, he laid her back, once again taking her into his arms.

"We will stay here for a few days, so we can all recover a little before finishing our journey. You can rest as much as you need to,"

She gave a weary nod of her head, and then sunk against him. "Thank you,"

Once again, he kissed her forehead. "You are safe with me. I will stay by your side," as long as he could, anyway.

 **P.S.** It is raining, and absolutely lovely. ^_^ Reviews and comments would be even lovelier! Thank you!


	17. Chapter 17

**A.N.** With all the cooler weather, my inspiration has been flowing a bit better. 😊 And yes, our house is now fully decorated for Halloween. Lol.  
 **ChelseaSW6:** Thank you! It was pretty rough writing her meltdown, but it will get better.  
Thank you to everyone following!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

She took his offer of rest, and then some. They remained in the Iron Hills for four days, and she slept for three of them. During that time, Thorin answered as many questions as he could, and kept contact with Fili and Dain in Erebor. Fili was ecstatic with the news of Danica's rescue, but Dain apparently had his reservations. He wasn't the only one. By now, nearly everyone had their suspicions about the relationship between their king and the woman who saved him. Though there were some who just thought Thorin deserved some happiness, many others were concerned. A human queen was unheard of, particularly one of unknown birth, with no ties to nobility of any kind. No one knew who she really was, not even Thorin. Not even herself.

Freya came by the second day, offering to get some dresses altered for Danica. Thorin had been unable to read her expression when she had exited Danica's room after taking measurements, and she hadn't spoken to him. Their third night there, he had gone outside for some fresh air, and she followed him. For a while, they just walked together, enjoying the crisp air. It was still winter, but the deep cold was slowly giving way to the milder temperatures of spring.

"She is lovely, your Danica," Freya commented, her breath fogging in front of them. "Lovely, but frail. Like a bird that has been caged without love,"

"You do not know how accurate a description that is," he mused.

Freya moved in front of him, her expression somber. "She cannot be queen, Thorin. The pressure would break her,"

Thorin's eyes narrowed. "You underestimate her strength. She has already endured torment the likes of which would kill anyone else,"

"That may be, but she is not ready. Besides, what does she know of our people? Our culture? Our history?"

Pushing down his anger as best he could, he brushed by her. "All of that can be learned, especially first hand,"

"And the respect of the people?" her words had him stopping again, but he didn't turn to her.

"She already has it from many of them," he responded softly. "Once they got to know her, everyone else would respect her as well,"

There was a sigh behind him, but she didn't give up. "She is too weak right now, and I do not think she can bear that responsibility on her shoulders,"

"But you can?" he challenged, turning to glare at her. Deep down, he knew it was uncalled for, but his anger kept him from apologizing.

Ice settled in Freya's gaze as her own eyes narrowed. "I have already told you; I will be no one's second choice. Besides that, I never had a desire for the throne. Only you,"

Though the guilt began to cool his anger, he didn't back down, and watched as she turned on her heel, and walked back to the gate. He looked up at the sky in a silent prayer for patience, and only made his way back once she was out of sight. Even when he was in his room, about to get ready for bed, he knew he would have to find her and apologize before they left. His hand was on the door knob when someone knocked on the other side. It was a soft, tentative sound, so he knew it was Danica before he opened the door. She looked rested, and more at ease than he'd seen her. Her hair was unbound, but brushed, so it waved down her back.

"Danica, would you like to come in?"

"I know it's late, but I also figured you would be awake," she gave a knowing smile as she passed him into his room. His late nights had become known to her on the road.

"It is good to see you awake," after closing the door, he stoked the fire. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," the way she smiled, easy and confident warmed his heart. He knew she was stronger than Freya said. "Beginning to feel a little more comfortable in my own skin. That is why I came to see you,"

Some of her ease faded a little as a nervous energy began to set in.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

Eyes vulnerable, she moved closer to him, placing her hand on his chest. Moving slowly enough to allow him to refuse, she closed the distance between them, and lightly pressed her lips to his. He didn't refuse her, gently cupping the side of her face. Though he wanted to deepen the kiss, he let her lead, not wishing to frighten her. When she pulled back, he restrained himself from keeping her against him.

"I have wanted to kiss you for so long," she said. "But every time we did, it wasn't purely because we wanted to. There was never anything simple about them. So, I wanted, just once, to kiss you for the sheer simplicity of it,"

"It is true that there is very little simplicity between the two of us," he admitted and, because he felt the same way as she, kissed her again. What he wouldn't say was that there still wasn't anything simple between them. The feelings he had for her were nearly all-consuming, and he was king. As king, he couldn't court her the same way a normal man could. There were certain traditions, and his people had to approve of her as well. It would likely be difficult for her, but they need not speak of it yet. Instead, he continued to move his lips against hers.

She leaned into his touch, eagerly arching against him in a way that tested his will power. He was able to take a shaky breath when she pulled back again, but lost it when she spoke.

"Will you touch me?" her eyes and voice were smoky. Need coiled tight inside him. He took another breath, praying for control. "I do not mean lie together, but I want to feel your hands on me,"

"Durin have mercy, woman," he very nearly groaned. "You overestimate my strength. I do not know if I could stop,"

"Please," she whispered, brushing her lips to his. "Please,"

Once again, he couldn't refuse her. She took his hand, and led him to the bed. They laid down, side by side, and he began by running his fingers through her hair, from scalp to hip. She closed her eyes, practically purring with satisfaction. He took his time before touching her skin, knowing it would fray his already-weakened nerves. There were a couple scars on her neck and décolletage, the only skin exposed. Despite these scars, her skin was soft, its warmth drawing him in. Rolling toward her, he pressed his lips to her throat, and felt the way her pulse jumped at the contact. A low moan rumbled in her throat, her head angling to give him more access to the column of her neck. Unable to resist, he dragged her tight against him, and plundered what she offered. He scraped his teeth against her skin, which sent shivers down the length of her body. Her breath was coming out in gasps, her hands tangling in his hair. If he didn't stop now, he wouldn't be able to stop at all.

"You are testing my honor," he breathed, laying back so her scent wasn't quite as intoxicating.

"I must admit, a part of me wants it to fail," she sounded surprised as she turned into him, draping an arm across his chest.

He lightly played with her hair, enjoying how well she fit against him. "You would not have had to try hard to make it so,"

"It is a kind of power, isn't it?" she mused. "Though I cannot fully remember, I feel like it has always been men who hold the power in that area,"

"Males do tend to, but only because most women do not understand the effect they have, nor how to use it,"

Something dangerous gleamed in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I guess I have a bit to learn,"

That surprised a laugh out of him. "Three days' sleep agrees with you,"

"Thank you, but you should also take some of the credit. You are helping me discover who I am,"

"Well, I am pleased to be of service,"

They remained in each other's arms, drifting off to sleep. Thorin knew it would be a scandal if she were found in his room in the morning, but couldn't bear to send her away. It was equally painful to leave her when there was a knock on the door. Displeasure evaporated into surprise when he saw Freya carrying a bundle of dresses.

"I went to Danica's room, but when she wasn't there, I figured she would be here," she spoke quickly and formally, eyes still cold.

"Come in," there was no point hiding Danica from Freya, as she already knew. So, he stepped aside, and allowed her in.

Danica had gotten off the bed, and was standing next to the fire. Freya went straight to her, draping the dresses over an armchair. She made a quick explanation of each dress, and smiled when Danica thanked her.

"Freya, may I have a moment?" Thorin asked.

Though she looked like she would rather kiss an orc, Freya nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty,"

Trying to ignore the disdain in her tone, Thorin led her to the adjoining parlor room. "Why did you not have a servant bring the dresses?"

Her gaze was withering. "I figured you would not want dirty gossip spreading about the woman you love,"

The fact that she thought of that, and worked to protect both he and Danica only made his duty more apparent. "Thank you for that. I wanted to apologize for my words earlier. My emotions clouded my judgment, and I spoke harshly,"

Her eyebrows lifted, giving her the expression of one thoroughly unimpressed. Fighting off the growl of irritation waiting in his throat, he continued.

"You are a dam of honor and integrity, and I insulted your character. As a king, my poor behavior is made even worse,"

She stared him down a moment longer, then gave in. "Thank you, though I spoke harshly as well. She looks better tonight. Better than I expected,"

"But you are still unsure," he surmised.

"Yes, but only time will tell. This is one occasion I would like to be proven wrong. I only want what is best for you, and our people," she gave a small smile, and then curtseyed. "With your leave?"

"Of course. Goodnight,"

He escorted her to the door, and then returned to Danica, who was very nearly asleep on the bed. Feeling a peaceful fatigue pulling at him, he joined her.

"What was that about?" she inquired drowsily.

He kissed her forehead, then settled into the blankets with her in his arms. "An understanding,"

 **P.S.** Sorry for any typos. It's late, and my baby girl kept me up all night last night. _ Reviews and comments would be loverly! Thank you!


	18. Chapter 18

**A.N.** Yikes. A month. Sorry guys! Been doing rehearsals for two shows, and a concert, and the kids are officially in toddlerhood, so I haven't had time to breathe. Lol. Hope you all had an awesome Halloween!  
 **ChelseaSW6:** Thanks for the reviews! And no worries about pestering, I like knowing that people enjoy my writing, and want more. ^_^ Pester me all you like.  
 **Mantrath:** Thank you so much!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing, except my original characters and plot points.

The dwarves of Erebor had made every effort to give their king a grand homecoming. Nearly all of the halls had been cleaned, and restoration had come along faster than he could have imagined. Fili and Dain had done an exceptional job leading in his absence, and he was nothing but proud. Still, he didn't miss the warm hug Fili greeted Danica with. He kept his possessiveness over her as hidden as he could, but all eyes were on them. Everyone was curious about Danica, the woman who had nearly died for the king, and whispers flew through the air about whether or not there would be a wedding. Some of the dams seemed excited about the prospect, even if the bride was human. Females and weddings; Thorin would never understand it.

To his immense pleasure, Danica kept her head up, and spoke with the bolder of his people who actually approached her. She was shy, and a little unsure, but did her best. The feast obviously overwhelmed her, and she had to turn down a couple of dances, having never learned them. After the first couple of days, everyone tried to find their way back to a normal routine. Thorin had to spend a lot of time with Fili, Dain, and Balin to transition back into the role of king. It was more difficult than he imagined spending all that time away from Danica. He had to force himself to keep his mind on the task at hand, rather than wondering what she was doing, and when he could next get his hands on her.

"Are you sure about this?" he questioned Fili as they all sat in a council meeting.

They had received a pleading letter from some dwarves who had been making their way from Ered Luin. Among them was Di̒s. Their caravan had been attacked by goblins in the mountain pass, and they were trapped in a cave, unable to leave for fear of being ambushed. They had already lost ten dwarves, including a young child. The moment they had received the letter, Thorin had called for provisions and weapons to be gathered. Then, he had called the council together.

"She is my mother," Fili responded resolutely. "And they are our people. As your heir, I must go,"

With pride and understanding, Thorin nodded his head. "Permission granted. We will send a small host of our best warriors with you. If possible, you should depart today. Nearly everything is already in order. How any goats do we have?"

"Enough for the number ye need," Dain replied. "And if it pleases ye, I would like to return to the Iron Hills, and have my son take my place here, that he may learn from ye,"

"It would be my honor," Thorin said honestly.

"I would like to go with Fili," Kili stated, his eyes ready for a fight.

Thorin smiled. "I would expect no less. You will go with him as second in command,"

"If I may," Dain began as they were about to adjourn, "there is another whom I believe should go,"

Something about his tone, and the set of his jaw had Thorin feeling uneasy.

"Yer lass has done a fair job assimilating into society, and many respect that she laid her life down for yers. But she is of man, and true respect is harder won,"

"No," Thorin's voice was cold and hard as ice.

"Perhaps we should hear him out," Dwalin suggested. "It is true that Dani has gained quite a bit of affection from those who have gotten to know her. However, her sheltered upbringing has made it so she has much to learn about society, and her place in it. That is not lost on yer people. If yer intention is for her to be queen, she will need more than the affection of a few,"

Thorin ground his teeth against the urge to snap at his closest friend. "This is a dangerous mission, and she cannot fight,"

"That is true," Dain began again, "but Oin says she has a skill with healing, and is one of the best assistants the physicians have. A mission such as this, being dangers as ye say, will have need of a physician, and an assistant. It would give her purpose and respect in the eyes of the people, while keeping her away from direct danger,"

"It seems a good compromise," Balin spoke quickly, halting Thorin's protest. "And I know Danica would be grateful for the chance to prove herself,"

Even Thorin could not argue with that. Ever since they had gotten back, Danica had done her best to help where she could, and learn all she could about society, and the culture of those around her. He also knew of her accomplishments beside Oin, and could see the pleasure on her face at having found a talent. She would, of course, jump at the chance to be seen as worthy to be by his side. And yet, with her complete lack of fighting skill, he was more than a little reluctant to send her.

"May I speak openly?" Fili asked. After Thorin's nod, he continued. "I know you love her. It is apparent to everyone. As is her love for you, and desire to be a good partner for you. To deprive her of such an opportunity would be almost cruel,"

Thorin sighed. It was in moments like these that he wondered why he allowed people to speak freely. Their comments nearly always brought him grief. However, he once again could not argue, which only further incensed him. There was no doubt in his mind that she would feel hurt and betrayed by his refusing of her to go.

"You have put me between a rock and a hard place," he declared. "I know you all have valid points, but the idea of sending her into danger turns my heart cold. Though I would keep her always safe, I feel we should ask her directly, before any other decisions are made. Send for the lady Danica," he said the last bit to an attendant.

"Uncle, you know what her answer will be," Kili murmured after the attendant left.

"Perhaps, but it is also more respectful to let her decide for herself,"

It took only a couple of minutes for the attendant to return with both Danica and Oin. She was in her simple, green frock, with an apron over it, and her hair piled on top of her head. By this, he assumed she had just come from the infirmary. She gave a graceful curtsey, product of a few hours' practice, and waited for one of them to speak. Seeing her sweet face tightened his throat against what he was about to say.

"We have received word that some of our people are in distress, and need aid. A company is being put together to rescue them, and it has been suggested that you would be the best to accompany the physician who will go with them, whom, by his presence, I assume will be Oin," he saw Danica's eyes light up, and knew he was doomed. "The decision is yours,"

At first, she looked ready to jump in, head first, but she caught herself, and gave Oin a shy glance. He smiled, and nodded.

"It would be a privilege. You are certainly the most efficient assistant I have,"

Positively beaming, Danica looked back at Thorin. "I would very much like to go," she declared. "It would do me a great honor,"

And, just like that, his heart clenched in fear. Though he fought to remain composed, he saw Danica's face fall slightly when she saw his disappointment. He accepted her request, and dismissed everyone else to get things ready. When it was just him and Danica, he sighed, and sat down.

"Do you realize how dangerous this quest is going to be?" he asked.

Remaining silent, she nodded her head. For a moment, he just looked at her. Even in her half-hazard state, she was lovely. Her time in Erebor had strengthened and healed her, but she still looked so small and frail to him.

"Do you know what this will do to me?" he asked softly. "To have you once again taken from the safety of my arms, and put into peril? I do not think you understand the worry I will have for you,"

Her brow creased in sympathy, and she broke her stillness to approach, and then kneel in front of him, taking one of his hands. "I am sorry, for I think I can understand. But…I need to earn my place among your people. They accept your love for me, because of your culture's view of soulmates, but having me be your wife would be such a break from tradition that they struggle with the idea,"

He shook his head, and framed her face with his free hand. "It is days like today that make me deplore logic and reason,"

Pulling her up slightly, so she knelt between his legs, he kissed her deeply. He tried to savor every detail of that moment; her scent, the feel of her skin, and the sound of her sigh as she moved her lips against his. It had been so long since he had kissed her, and this would likely be the last for at least a couple of months, if not more than that. How could he have been so foolish as to not spent more time with her? Pulling away, he reached into his hair, and removed one of the beads that bore his symbol.

"I am sure you have become aware of this tradition," he waited for her nod, and the acquiescence in her eyes before loosening her hair. With deft and gentle fingers, he plaited a small braid in front of her right ear, and placed his bead at the bottom. "When you return, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

He could hear the breath whoosh from her lungs, and saw a small bit of uncertainty in her eyes. Then, her eyes met his, and a smile brightened her face, removing that doubt.

"Yes," she breathed, nodding her head before kissing him enthusiastically.

They were promptly interrupted as Oin came to collect her so they could prepare to leave. A few people, including his nephews, noticed the braid, but there was no time for celebration. Thorin met them at the gate to see them off, and give the soldiers a king's blessing. Fili and Kili promised to keep Danica safe, and bring their people back. Thorin was only able to give Danica a brief hug farewell before watching her ride away, knowing his heart went with her.

 **P.S.** Hopefully there are no typos! I didn't do a great job proofreading because I wanted to get this chapter out for you. Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

**A.N.** Sorry it's taking me so long to update! As I've said before, in the middle of performance season, and I've been working on a couple of other projects. Not to mention dealing with two toddlers. Lol. I'll keep trying though! Thanks for all your patience!  
 **ChelseaSW6:** It seriously be so frustrating to deal with that. Lol. But thanks for understanding the warrior culture side of things!  
 **carolina tarinescobar** : Muchas gracias!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

Danica had taken in every bit of land they crossed with enthusiasm. The weather remained fair most of the way, allowing everyone a little relief despite the severity of their mission. It also gave them the ability to move with haste. The longer it took them to reach the trapped dwarves, the less likely they would find any. A fact that weighed heavily on Fili and Kili. They were serious and focused most of the time, only lightening up when they felt the morale of their soldiers dipping, or when they looked back and saw Danica beaming at the landscape.

"It's so different when you see it with your own eyes," she said when Kili made a comment about her observations. What she didn't say was how different it was to be seeing the world as a free person.

"One day, maybe you can go beyond the Misty Mountains, or as far south as Gondor," Fili commented. "There are times when Thorin has to travel to meet with other rulers and dignitaries. You could accompany him, and see more of the world,"

She smiled, but the happiness was short-lived as she heard some grumbles from the soldiers behind her. There were still plenty who were more than a little skeptical about her relationship with their king. Trying to let it all roll off, she kept her head up, so they wouldn't think their sniggers got to her. If she was going to marry Thorin, and live by his side, she would have to get a thicker skin. Looking up, she saw an approving glance from Fili. He knew how hard she had been working to find a place in their society.

It had begun to rain when they reached the foothills of the mountains. They made camp when it started getting dark, not wanting to take the treacherous mountain paths at night. Everyone was anxious, wanting to get their people to safety, if there were any left. Danica stayed near Oin, going through all of their supplies to make sure nothing was missing. He was also quizzing her on how to take care of the numerous wounds they may encounter. Danica looked at the bandages, salves, and tools, and felt a sadness clutch at her heart.

"What if they didn't survive?" she asked, softly enough so only Oin would hear.

Oin looked up at the mountains, then back at her. "Our people have faced worse odds and survived. Di̒s is also a strong, capable leader who will do whatever she can to protect those under her care,"

Danica had a brief moment of feeling intimated, before pushing it aside. "If she is anything like her brother, I do not doubt it,"

"There are times I am more afraid of her than I ever would be of Thorin," Fili said with a smile. He took a seat beside her, with Kili sitting on her other side. "She's the fiercest woman I've ever met,"

"Don't worry though," Kili encouraged with a wink. "She will be so relieved that Thorin found someone, that your race will be of little consequence,"

The brothers gave a laugh with enough mischief in it to redden Danica's cheeks. Oin shook his head, but smiled as well.

"Ignore them, Lass," the older dwarf advised. "They are just jealous, for they have no better affection than their own hands,"

Nearly all the dwarves laughed at that, and though Danica smiled, she felt trapped by testosterone. Fierce or not, Di̒s would at least be another female, plus whomever else may have been with her. Perhaps she could even make a true female friend. It would be nice to talk with someone who actually understood the way her mind and body worked.

"Now, when we all head up there, you two will be toward the back of the group, with some soldiers to guard your backs," Fili had broken up the laughter to go over plans for the next day, and turned his attention on his healers. "We will need you to be ready to patch up as many as possible who can walk down the mountain. There will be ponies waiting for those who cannot,"

Oin nodded, and began packing up the supplies. Danica watched, chewing on her lip.

"Fili? How bad do you think it will be?" she asked.

He sighed, sharing a look with Kili. "There is no knowing for sure, but it will not be easy. Many had already died by the time we received their raven, and they will be short on food and water. The killing of them has become a game for the goblins. All we can hope for is that the game has become boring,"

From what she knew about orcs and goblins, that was unlikely. With all of that in mind, they tried to get some sleep. Danica lay with her eyes wide open, staring at the cloudy sky. She had missed Thorin since the moment they left, but now it was even worse. Danger lurked beyond the dawn, and she was beginning to wonder why she left in the first place. All she wanted was to be safe in his arms. Somehow, she managed to fall asleep, remembering all the times he had kissed her.

* * *

 _She dreamed of Erebor. At least, she thought it was a dream. The maia had taken her Sight, but this felt so much like one. In front of her was the door to Thorin's chambers. It was dark out, which meant he would likely be in there, either attending to paperwork, or already in bed. As if she had commanded it, the door opened to reveal Thorin, sitting at his desk, bent over some papers. His brow was pulled in concentration, and she could see the tension in his neck. Oh, how she wanted to kiss and massage it away. She took a step forward._

 _'You cannot,' a voice said. Danica recognized it as the maia. 'He will be able to see and hear you, but you are not physically here,'_

 _'Why did you bring me here?' Danica thought. 'This is not something I could have done on my own, even when I had my Sight,'_

 _'Your heart is aching. So is his. Tomorrow will be a test for you, and what comes after will a test for him,'_

 _Fear filled Danica. 'Were we ever meant to be together?'_

 _'That is part of the test,'_

 _'Whose?'_

 _The maia did not answer, but Danica thought she knew. Trying to hide the fear and despair, she walked closer._

 _"Thorin," her voice was soft, but it had him whipping his head around. His face showed shock first, then brightened with delight._

 _"Dani," the quill dropped from his hand just before he stood and moved toward her. She put a hand up, and stepped back before he could fall through her._

 _"My physical form is not really here," she said sadly. "The maia who helped us in Rhu_ _̂_ _n brought me here to see you,"_

 _Shoulders falling ever-so-slightly, he reached out to tough her hand, but it passed through with less resistance than waving through smoke. He sighed, then looked into her eyes._

 _"I miss you," he said. "Every day, it is a constant ache in my chest,"_

 _His words warmed her, even though they were sad. "I miss you too. It was my last thought before I fell asleep,"_

 _"Have you reached the mountains?"_

 _She nodded. "We will be going up to the caves first thing in the morning,"_

 _Concern flickered in Thorin's eyes. "That's why the maia sent you, isn't it? Tomorrow isn't going to go well,"_

 _"I don't know,"_

 _"Why else would she bring us together like this?"_

 _Everything Danica had been trying to hide escaped, but she kept herself as much under control as possible. "She did say this would be a test for both of us,"_

 _He shook his head, crossing his arms. "Will our lives ever be ours? Not the playthings of someone else?"_

 _She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but there was no use. All she could do was be a pillar of hope and strength._

 _"No matter what happens, I promise that I will return to you. Everything that has happened couldn't be for nothing," she waited for him to look into her eyes before smiling. "Besides, we still have to get married,"_

 _Finally, his lips lifted again, and his gaze went to the marriage braid. "That we do," he moved closer to her. "Be safe. I do not want to live any more of this life without you,"_

 _"I love you," her voice was thick with emotion, and a lump rose into her throat._

 _"I love you, Dani,"_

 _His smile faltered slightly when her vision began to darken, so she knew she was fading. However, she tried to hold on to the hope that had been in his eyes. Just before she woke up, she heard the voice of the Maia again._

 _'Be strong, and have faith,'_

* * *

She woke with the dawn lighting the sky in pink and orange. There was a small break in the clouds, be she could see a storm darkening the horizon. The dwarf who had been on watch saw her, and gave her a small nod before waking everyone else. Fear clenched her heart as they broke their fast, then began their climb. Her hands shook a little, but she walked with purpose. Whatever met them in the mountains, she would be ready. She had to be.


	20. Chapter 20

**A.N.** Hello, and welcome to another chapter! (I've been watching too much youtube…) Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! We've been taking our decorations down today, and while there's less clutter, it's still depressing. Ah well. Life moves on. Thanks to all of you who are reading! I love you all!  
 **ChelseaSW6:** I hope you're better with patience than I am. Lol. I've always sucked at it. And I've been wondering about that. :/ I feel like there have been a few people who haven't gotten emails. I contacted support, but I'm not sure if they've seen it.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

The entire company was quiet as they trailed up the mountain. It was a cold, dark day that threatened precipitation, but had yet to deliver. Danica felt her heart pounding so hard she thought it would explode. She was too far back to see anything ahead, and so was relying on sound to know if any fighting began. The paths had just begun to narrow when it happened. The sound of clashing metal bounced off the rocks, and had the soldiers in front of, and behind her preparing their weapons. She looked nervously at Oin, who reached over, and gave her arm a squeeze. It seemed like an eternity they were shuffling along the trail, hearing the sounds of fighting and death. A couple of refugees when running by, escorted by bloodied soldiers. They looked alright, so Oin pulled her along, stepping carefully along the rocks so they did not fall into the dark below.

"Move, move, move!" Fili yelled, voice much closer than she'd expected. "Danica! Oin! We need you!"

And, just like that, they were pushed along the line, passing the skirmish with a few goblins, and led into a cave. There were some small fires lighting the space, where a few dozen dwarves huddled in groups. There were mostly women and children, many of whom were clutching each other in fear. Danica's heart clenched.

"Over here!" a voice called. Back in a corner, a dwarrow dam was applying pressure to a little girl's leg.

Oin and Danica hurried over, and while Oin checked and bandaged the leg, Danica took care of any other wounds. Looking around, there were a few more injured, including a couple of their own soldiers. After a permissive nod from Oin, Danica moved on to the others. Each child that was injured put another chink in her heart that she had to ignore so she could work efficiently. Yet, no matter how hard she worked, she felt like she was going too slow. More injured soldiers were coming in, and some goblins had managed to break through and attack. They were easily killed by the dam who had been with the little girl, but it heightened the stress of Danica's patients.

"You must be Danica," the dam from earlier knelt by her as she tended to a soldier's arm.

"I am," once the bandage was secure, she looked up, and saw the blue eyes of Durin's folk watching her. "Are you Di̒s?"

"Yes. You should know that while I am unsure about a human becoming queen, all I want is for my brother to be happy. He has had so little happiness in his life,"

Danica nodded somberly. "I know. Happiness is all I want for him as well,"

"And that happiness seems to be based in you," Di̒s replied. "Leave it to my brother to find his One the way he did. Still, I am indebted to you for saving him and my sons,"

Danica was unsure how to respond, and was saved from having to figure it out by a soldier coming in. He was drenched, and Danica could now hear the rain outside.

"We have pushed the goblins back! Anyone who can walk needs to leave now!"

Di̒s immediately stood, and began ushering people out. Most were able to get out on their own power, and a couple were carrying children who could not.

"Danica! Go with them!" Oin ordered, putting a splint on an older man's broken arm. "I will stay here until the ponies can be sent for,"

There was no time to argue, as Di̒s grabbed her arm, and pulled her out into the rain. They stayed at the back of the group, making sure everyone moved safely.

"Wait," Di̒s suddenly stopped, looking back to where the battle was still raging. "I need to see if my sons are alive,"

Danica stood with her, feeling uneasy. "We cannot wait long," she pressed.

"There they are," Di̒s said, not hearing Danica.

Sure enough, Fili and Kili were back-to-back, pushing the dwindling goblin force back. It didn't look like it would be much longer before they could bring ponies up. Since Di̒s still held on to her arm, Danica tugged to get her attention.

"We need to go," she urged.

Just as they turned to go, a few goblins hopped form above, coming between them, and those escaping down the mountain. Behind them, more goblins kept the attention of the soldiers. Danica pulled out the knife Thorin had given her before she'd left, while Di̒s brandished her axe. With the trail being so narrow where they were, Di̒s was able to dispatch those in front pretty quickly. A couple came between Danica and the soldiers. Panicking, she slashed out at them, managing to graze one on the arm. Growling, it struck out at her with its sword. Pure luck saved her for the first few blows. She slashed again, her blade raking across the creature's throat. Blood splashed her face, making it hard to see as the goblin fell from the cliff, but was soon replaced by its fellow. Danica was not so lucky with this one, and received a couple gashes before the goblin's sword pierced her side. The pain brought her to her knees, which gave Di̒s the opportunity to behead the goblin.

"Come on! We need to leave!" Di̒s wrapped an arm around Danica's waist, helping her to stand. Danica cried out, then gritted her teeth, and forced herself to move.

A strange, scratching sound had her looking up, to see another goblin ready to pounce on them.

"Watch out!" pushing Di̒s away, she took the full weight of the goblin, and they both tumbled into the abyss.

* * *

It had been agony waiting for them all to return. Every felt like torture as he tried to put his focus on his duties. He needed someone to become permanent Lord of Ered Luin, for there were many dwarves who still wished to stay there. Others were coming from the far east, and there were still living quarters that needed to be cleaned. The forges were as productive as they had been before Smaug's attack, and trade was beginning to flourish.

"Your Majesty," a sentry came up to him as he stood in the jeweler's workshop to speak to his master crafters.

"Are they back?" he asked, something in his gut telling him they were.

The sentry smiled and nodded. "They should be at the gate now,"

Unable to completely control his excitement, he hastened to the gate, ignoring the chuckles from those who knew what was going on. Many of the refugees had already made it inside by the time he reached the gate. He recognized some, and was pleased to see plenty more streaming in. His eyes searched among them, but could not find Danica. The excitement was beginning to sink into fear when he finally saw Oin.

"Oin, I am relieved to see you are well," he said, walking up to him. His fear intensified at the look on Oin's face. "Where is Danica?"

Tears filled the older dwarf's eyes. "I had sent her out when the first group was able to escape. She was with your sister when…when she…" he was unable to speak, looking down at his feet and sniffling.

"When she what?" Thorin's voice rose, causing some around them to stop and look.

"Uncle,"

Fili and Kili walked toward him, faces grimmer than he'd ever seen. Not only was Danica absent, but so was Di̒s. Thorin looked at his nephews, feeling heart turn to ice.

"Fili…where are they?"

"Danica pushed Mom out of the way of a goblin attack. She slipped off the cliff, and Mom tried to catch her," tears filled Fili's eyes as well. "I'm sorry. They're gone,"

He went numb. This was why the maia had allowed them to see each other. It was the last time they were going to see each other. One step back, then two, and he was walking away from the gate. Any calls of his name fell on deaf ears. His feet took him down to the Dragon Hall, as the Gallery of the Kings had been renamed. For some reason, this had become his place to think. Hardly anyone came down here, uncomfortable around the gold floor. She had kissed him here. Kissed him and brought him back to sanity. That, and imprinted herself forever upon his heart. It felt like his whole world had shattered when she had disappeared from his arms. Somehow, this felt different. There was fear, but not hopelessness. A test. That is what Danica said this would be.

Turning back around, he went back up to the gate. There were people who needed help, and he needed to be the king Danica wanted him to be. After all, when she came back to the mountain, he couldn't let her down. She was alive, and if she didn't find her way back to him, he would have to go get her.

"Hurry back," he murmured, hoping Mahal would hear his words, and use them to spur Danica back to his side.


	21. Chapter 21

**A.N.** Hello all! Sorry for the longer absence. Past few weeks have been difficult. Hubby is heading to Academy, which means he'll be gone for a few months, and we're having a hard time reconciling with that. We've always been a close couple, and don't do well apart. Thankfully, the kiddos will keep me company, even while they drive me crazy. _  
 **ChelseaSW6:** Thank you! I definitely know the Scooby sense, though in our house, we call it Spidey-sense. Lol.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

"You're alright," the voice said. "Your heartbeat is strong, just stay with me,"

Danica tried, but the darkness took her again. She wasn't sure which she preferred. The light was full of pain, but the darkness held long-lost memories that knocked on the door of her subconscious. Voices bounced around inside of her head, but she couldn't pick any out. They buzzed like a hive of bees, busy and indiscernible. Time was immeasurable, but, eventually, her mind began to clear. Pain seeped back into her body, but was dulled by some kind of medicine. Someone was passing a cool cloth over her face with a soothing gentleness.

"There you go," a different voice from before spoke. "I believe she is waking up,"

"Danica? Can you hear me?"

Now able to recognize the first speaker as Di̒s, Danica chanced a small nod.

"What happened?" she croaked.

"There was a ledge below the cliff that broke our fall. I was able to carry you to the valley from there, but had sprained my ankle. Nathir found us, and brought us to Beorn,"

Eyes now open, Danica looked around, and saw the half-elf sitting nearby. She frowned, more confused than anything else in that moment.

"I thought you had died," she said.

"Almost," Nathir replied. "Someone pulled me out of the water, and the Avari tended to my wounds. Not wanting to be a burden to them, I decided to make my way west, and create a new life for myself. More than anything, I have desired peace. When I met Beorn, we both decided that I could do some good in this region. I have been living here ever since,"

It was a lot for Danica's groggy mind to process, but it made some sense. A very large man came in with some food, and was introduced as Beorn. He didn't say much, just wished her a speedy recovery. Di̒s and Nathir filled her in on the rest of what had happened. She still had a concussion, a broken arm, and a couple of broken ribs. It would be a few weeks before she would be able to travel.

"We need to get word to Thorin," she said, feeling a little panicked.

"I already did," Di̒s assured, putting a hand on Danica's. "He should receive my letter in the next couple of days,"

Danica nodded, and closed her eyes. She felt as though she had somehow failed Thorin. All she had proven was that she had a tendency for getting herself, and those around her in danger. There was no chance for her to win the dwarves' approval now.

"What is wrong?" Nathir asked, seeing the despair on her face.

More than anything, she wanted to be strong, but Nathir's question had tears leaking from beneath her closed lids. Di̒s' hand tightened over hers in support.

"I wanted so desperately to succeed. To show your people that I can stand next to Thorin, and to make him proud. So much has already gone wrong with me, and I cannot imagine how I can make it up now,"

"You are being too hard on yourself," Nathir argued.

When Danica opened her eyes, she looked to Di̒s, for it was her opinion she needed. After all, she knew the dwarrow people better than Nathir.

"What you have proven is that you are courageous, and never give up. Though you are not one of us, you would risk your life for us. That kind of selflessness is invaluable in our society. You have proven yourself to me, and I know many of the others will feel the same,"

It was exactly what she needed to hear, even if it didn't completely calm her nerves.

"Now, you need to get some rest so that we can get you back to my brother,"

"Thank you," Danica breathed sincerely.

Di̒s smiled, and then ushered Nathir out so Danica could sleep.

* * *

When the messenger bird arrived, Thorin felt a weight lift from his chest. He had known in his heart that Di̒s and Danica were alive, but that hadn't eased his concern for them. He hated that Danica was injured, and that they would have to wait before traveling home. Clutching the letter in his hand, he hurried to find Fili and Kili. They were helping train some of the new soldiers alongside Balin and Dwalin. Upon his arrival, they paused long enough to bow and continued. Balin came over to him, noticing the letter in his hand.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A letter from Di̒s,"

Balin's eyes widened, and then he beamed. "Lads! Take a water break. Dwalin, Fili, and Kili, we need you here,"

Curiosity peaked, they excused the soldiers, and walked over. Fili's eyes immediately went to the letter.

"They are alive," Thorin stated, handing the letter to his nephews. They read it aloud for Balin and Dwalin, eyes glowing with excitement.

"They may not be able to travel yet, but we can go get them," Kili said enthusiastically.

"I agree that we should send a small party to retrieve them, but it should be discreet," Fili advised. Balin and Thorin shared a look of pride.

"Fili is right," Thorin took the letter back. "The people have not known much in the way of stability. All of us here need to remain. We can pick a handful of people whom we trust from the Company. Maybe Bofur, Bifur, and Nori,"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I could not help but overhear," a black-bearded dwarf called Fetir walked over. "Our clans have often disagreed, and I would be honored to have this chance to prove my loyalty. Send me with the retrieval party,"

Thorin looked at Fetir for a moment. It was true that there was a long history of bitterness between the Longbeards and Ironfists, and there were very few Ironfists who had decided to live amongst Durin's folk. However, Fetir had been the first Ironfist to come to Erebor, and this would engender some good faith.

"Very well," Thorin said. "We will let you know when it is time to depart,"

Fetir bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty,"

Once Fetir was out of earshot, Dwalin leaned in. "Are ye sure he can be trusted? There is something off about that dwarf,"

"I agree," Balin said. "He may be one of our strongest warriors, but he never approved of Dani,"

Thorin sighed. "What do you suggest?"

"Let me go to keep an eye on him," Dwalin said. "Balin and the lads can handle everything here,"

"Hopefully this will be the last mission for a while," Thorin replied wryly.

"Once I get back, I suggest ye marry the lass, and keep her in the mountain,"

It was meant as a joke, but was exactly what Thorin in tended to do.

 **P.S.** Another pretty short chapter, but we are getting close to the end of the story! Those of you who have read my other stories will recognize Fetir. Not like that's foreshadowing or anything…Reviews and comments welcome!


	22. Chapter 22

**A.N.** Hello all! My husband and I are currently at a Saber Legion meet, where he is competing. If you do not know what that is, it's basically fencing with light sabers. Lol. There's more to it than that, but that's the best I can come up with. If you wish to know more, go ahead and look it up on Youtube. This is the first time I'll be watching my husband fight, so I'm pretty excited.  
 **ChelseaSW6:** I laughed out loud at your comment. It's so true. Lol. And believe me, even I'm wishing more peace for them. It feels like they can never catch a break.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

Beorn's house was beautiful. Not just the house itself, but the land surrounding it. Danica sat on a tree stump, looking out over the lake to the mountains. Once she had gotten well enough to walk outside, it had been where she'd spent most of her time. Sometimes Di̒s walked with her, but Danica was beginning to enjoy more alone time. Beorn's land was fenced, but was so vast that she could spend an entire afternoon wandering, and not feel trapped. In the past couple of weeks, she had known a peace and freedom she had never known before. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if she was ready to go back to Erebor. Thorin was likely going to be more protective now, and she would be taking on royal responsibilities soon. She knew she wanted to marry Thorin, for she loved him as much as she always had. The rest left her unsure.

"You will be ready to travel in the next couple of days," Beorn's deep voice resonated behind her. When she merely nodded, he sat on the ground beside her. "You do not wish to return,"

It was not a question. Danica sighed, her heart sinking. "I do, but not yet. Never, in my life, have I been able to live by my own rules, or go wherever I wanted to go. When I first returned to Erebor with Thorin, I thought I was ready to settle down and become his wife, but…"

"You have not had a chance to live your life and find out who you are," Beorn said with understanding. "It is a risky thing to marry, to give yourself to someone when you have not given to yourself,"

Sadness had her fighting tears. "It would break his heart if I did not return. He would not understand,"

"If he loves you, he will come to understand,"

She was not so sure, but she smiled at him. "Thank you. You have been so kind to us, and I do not think I could ever repay you,"

Beorn stood, looking toward the east gate. "You do not need to repay me. Besides, I do not think you will be here past the morrow,"

Danica followed his gaze, and saw five dwarves come through on ponies, trailing a wagon, and two spare ponies behind them. Dwalin was at the front, with Bofur and Ori behind him. She didn't recognize the other two. Di̒s went out from the house, laughing as Dwalin got off his pony, and swept her off her feet in a hug.

"Come," Beorn said, offering a hand to help Danica stand. "We should greet them as well,"

There was genuine happiness as Danica hugged Dwalin, Bofur, and Ori. The other two were introduced as Fetir, son of Fetul, and Carn son of Shul. These were both fairly stern dwarves, but she could see kindness in Carn's brown eyes. Fetir's black ones were shrewd, cold, and calculating. He reminded her of the sorcerers', which struck fear into her heart. As they all headed into the house, she could feel his gaze on her back, but refused to look at him.

"Well Lass, it seems ye have a knack for escaping death," Dwalin commented, eating the cheese and bread Beorn had set on the table.

"Believe me, it is as much a mystery to me as it is to you," Danica replied with a smile.

"We are thrilled to see ye safe and well," Bofur said warmly. "Thorin will be relieved to have ye by his side again. Even when the rest of us believed ye both to be dead, he held on to hope,"

Guilt had Danica looking down at her plate of food. He loved her that much, and yet she still wanted to leave. She knew she couldn't tell the others. They would likely be as angry as Thorin, and would never allow her to do it.

"Are you alright, Dani?" Ori asked kindly.

Putting on the best smile she could, she looked back up. "Yes, sorry. I still get tired sometimes,"

"Why not go rest for a little while?" Di̒s suggested. "It would be ideal to leave tomorrow,"

Danica nodded, then addressed the others. "Please forgive me for excusing myself so early,"

They all assured her that there was no issue. Well, all except Fetir and Carn, who remained silent. The moment Danica closed the door to the guest room, she slid to the floor. Leaving tomorrow? It had all happened so fast. Traveling would be nice in the aspect of being out in the open, and possibly seeing some new terrain, but she doubted the dwarves would let her move around much. Once again, she would be confined to others deciding every move she made. The more she thought about it, the more she became as tired as she had feigned. Getting up from the floor, she went to the bed and laid down to rest.

A little later, she was awoken by a soft knock. The sun was low on the horizon, and she could hear voices out in the garden. Patting her hair into place, she got up and opened the door. Nathir, and the black-haired Fetir stood on the other side. No one else appeared to be in the house.

"What is it?" she asked. "Does someone need help with dinner?"

"Actually, we wished to speak with you," Nathir said. "May we come in?"

Confused, Danica stepped aside, then went to sit on the edge of the bed. Fetir remained near the door, while Nathir stood in front of Danica.

"I know you have been struggling with the idea of going back to the mountain, and Fetir was able to see it as well,"

Danica's eyes widened, and she felt her pulse take off. "Please do not tell anyone," she pleaded. "It has just felt so wonderful to be able to move around on my own, and I…I wanted more time. More time to see the world, to learn about myself. But that does not mean I want to leave Thorin. I love him with all my heart, and would never betray him,"

She had said this all so fast, that Nathir hadn't had a chance to stop her. Once she finished, he gave her a tender smile.

"We are not here to condemn you, or turn you in," he said. "We are here to help,"

That made no sense. Danica looked at Fetir, whose eyes were still cold, but he nodded.

"At this point, the king would never let you leave the mountain, unless you are by his side," the dwarf explained. "We dwarves are naturally protective of our women and children. After how many times he has nearly lost you, his protective grip will only tighten. You may have love and respect, but you will never know freedom again,"

Danica's heart clenched. "Why would you help me?" she asked Fetir.

"Because I do not believe you should be trapped again," he answered easily. "Dwarrow women are used to living inside a mountain, but that goes against human nature; even for one who has lived her life in captivity,"

His words sounded truthful enough, but she felt a sense of mistrust with him. He seemed too pleased and eager to be helping her escape, even though it would mean hurting his king.

"So, what is your plan?" she inquired.

Fetir remained where he was, not having moved since the moment he'd entered the room. "Once everyone else has gone to sleep, I will help you and Nathir sneak out,"

She looked at Nathir, unsure. They had come to know each other fairly well in the last few weeks, but he could still leave her uneasy. Though her worst memories were still gone, she knew he'd had a part to play.

"I cannot let you travel alone," he stated. "It is far too dangerous. However, you will choose wherever you wish to go, and I will follow,"

"This will be your only chance," Fetir emphasized.

The voices from outside came closer, which meant that Danica was out of time to consider.

"I'll do it," she said.

While the men went out with the others, Danica composed a letter to Thorin, explaining her actions, begging his forgiveness, and promising to return to him. It broke her heart to write the words, but it needed to be done. What was harder was pretending to be normal with everyone at dinner. Everything had changed, and no one knew it. Beorn gave her a couple of glances, but she knew he wouldn't warn the others of his suspicions. When darkness fell, everyone else went out to drink some ale, and exchange stories, per the suggestion of Fetir. Danica told Di̒s and Dwalin that she would go to bed, needing as much rest as possible for their departure in the morning. Deceiving them made her feel dirty, especially with the easy way Di̒s believed her. Tensing her jaw in determination, she finished packing a travel bag, and waited for Nathir's signal.

He came not long after she had spoken with Di̒s, a bag on his shoulders as well. They could hear Fetir's voice outside, keeping everyone's attention. Remaining silent, they exited the back, and disappeared into the dark.

"Are you certain about this?" Nathir asked softly.

Danica thought of the letter waiting on her bed, which Di̒s would discover the next morning. "Positive,"

 **P.S.** Sadly, it looks like Fetir didn't have to try too hard to get rid of her. So, where will Danica end up going? Comments and reviews appreciated. 😊


	23. Chapter 23

**A.N.** Past few weeks left me in a huge rut. Hubby went off to academy for law enforcement, and we've been trying to adjust to the new normal. I will say, that there will only be one or two more chapters on this story. Closing in on the end! I'm kind of excited. This story started off as an idea that was only supposed to be a few chapters, and turned into more than twenty chapters.  
 **ChelseaSW6:** Gah. It's driving me crazy how people aren't getting alerts. _ No idea. As for your "guest" comment, I had to laugh. You'll see why in this chapter. 😉  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

Thorin sat at the head of the council table, looking at the group of dwarves he had set out to retrieve his sister and future wife. They had only come back with Di̒s. There was insurmountable rage within him that he had to fight to control. Dwalin, Bofur, and Oin looked defeated, while some of his anger was mirrored in his sister's eyes. There was also pain. In their time together, Di̒s and Danica must have grown close. His heart ached for her, and only made him more furious at the entire situation. Fili and Kili stood on either side of him, tense with all of their own emotions.

"Someone needs to tell me what happened," Thorin finally said. "How, and why did Danica leave?"

Ori kept his eyes down, while the others exchanged glances. The youngest dwarf seemed to feel the worst, as though he had wanted to prove himself.

"The lass seemed reluctant to return to the mountain," Fetir began. "I thought, perhaps she had grown fond of the freedom. Nathir had an obvious affection for her, and would have been willing to help her escape. I fear that he may have loved her,"

Keep calm. Keep calm. Thorin took a deep breath that he let out slowly through his nose.

"Did anyone else make these observations?" he asked.

"Yes, Danica enjoyed being able to roam about on her own," Di̒s said, "but I do not believe she would have just run away without a word," she sent a stern look Fetir's way.

"I agree," Dwalin commented. "The lass seemed troubled, but to suggest that she would go galivanting about with a man who may or may not have romantic feelings for her is not only taking a shot in the dark, but also borders on idiotic,"

Fetir frowned. "It is not idiotic when the assumption is based on the clear behavior of two people who have the subtlety of a troll,"

"Just what are ye suggesting?!" Dwalin stood as he yelled. Ori and Bofur joined him in the fight that ensued with Fetir.

"Enough!" Thorin bellowed, also standing so he could gain their attention. "It is impossible to prove anything without the two in question. Are you all sure there was no letter from Danica?"

"When I went to her room the morning we left, there was nothing," Di̒s admitted reluctantly. "No letter, and all of her belongings were gone,"

"Perhaps she was afraid to let you know what was truly in her heart," Fetir suggested.

"If ye speak another word, I will tear yer tongue from yer mouth," Dwalin swore.

"You have no authority to make such threats," Fetir countered.

"Maybe not, but he wouldn't be alone," Kili grumbled.

"I said enough," Thorin growled, patience nearly gone. He sat, and looked to the other black-bearded dwarf. "Carn, you have yet to speak. What do you have to say?"

Carn took a moment, looking around the table. "I concur with the assumption that the girl feared losing freedom. Also, that the one called Nathir had an affection for her. However, I felt that he was more indebted to her. There was nothing romantic that I could see. Whatever proof you may need will likely be in this,"

A dead silence fell as Carn pulled out a piece of parchment, and handed it to Thorin. Fetir kept his face neutral, but Thorin could see how closely he watched the parchment.

"Why did you not bring this out earlier when I asked?" Thorin questioned.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was waiting to see if the one who originally discovered the letter would come forward, and do the right thing,"

Not even bothering to read the letter, Thorin set it down in front of him. "And who would that person be?"

Carn waited for just a breath, which was enough time for Fetir to stand up. "I did. I will offer no excuses, only that I thought her last words would bring you even more pain,"

"Then I take it you read the letter?"

"I did," Fetir's gaze was unwavering. "She said that she was leaving, and did not know when she would return,"

"Ye slimy, no-good, piece of- "

Dwalin only stopped his insult when Thorin raised a hand. The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Fili and Kili were watching Thorin expectantly, waiting for him to act. He looked to one of the guards, and nodded. Some of his rage ebbed as he heard the footsteps, and watched Fetir's face slide into shock, then melt into rage. The others also looked taken aback, and he could see their feelings of betrayal.

"What is this?" Fetir spat.

"The truth," Nathir answered.

Reaching a hand out, Thorin pulled Danica to his side. She stood strong and powerful next to him; her hand clasped in his.

"They arrived nearly a day ahead of you, having already guessed Fetir's true intentions," Thorin said.

Fetir glowered. "And what did they say were my 'true intentions?'"

"You wished to take me out of the equation, and create an irreparable rift between me and Thorin so that if I did return, he would never accept me,"

The truth of her words echoed in Fetir's eyes, but he refused to respond to her. Instead, he turned his cold, black eyes to Thorin.

"We have never had a human queen in the history of our race, let alone one who has no experience in leadership, or life in general,"

"She can learn," Thorin responded firmly. "In the short time she has spent with our people, she has already learned much of our culture. While you were all gone, the people have given her a name; Lady Danica Braveheart. Your efforts have failed, Fetir. Guards, seize him,"

Fetir didn't put up a fight, just gave Danica a glare that could wither stone. She remained strong, her face cool, but not harsh.

"Before I am hauled away, what is to be my punishment, Your Majesty?" Fetir inquired through clenched teeth.

Thorin stood, looking forward to delivering his next words. "The council will deliberate, and I will pass sentence after the wedding,"

Fetir's look only darkened further. "As my king commands. You should know that I am not the only one who feels this strongly about your choice,"

"But it is, as you said, my choice. Nothing, and no one will change that choice," with that, he had the guards take their prisoner away.

The moment the door closed, the yelling began. Dwalin and Di̒s were furious at having been tricked and kept in the dark. Fili and Kili were arguing with them, but no one could understand each other. Thorin and Danica shared a look, and then she was the one to call for silence. Since no one was used to her raising her voice, they instantly quieted down.

"I am sorry to all of you. Truly," she began, voice calm and authoritative, but sincere. "I did not wish to deceive anyone, but I knew you would want to rip him limb from limb if you knew what was going on,"

"What is the problem with that?" Bofur questioned, a mischievous smile lifting beneath his moustache. Danica smiled as well, but continued.

"We needed to catch him red-handed, and make sure as many people as possible knew about it. There could be no doubt about his plan,"

"How did you know?" Di̒s asked, lips pursed. "How did you know about his plan?"

Thorin gave his sister a warning glance, particularly when some of Danica's confidence wavered.

"He seemed far too eager to help me leave without any of you knowing," Danica replied. "For someone who claimed to be so loyal to his king, and had never even met me, it was suspicious,"

Still angry, Di̒s shook her head. "After everything we went through, you should have told me," giving no one an opportunity to stop her, Di̒s turned and walked out of the room.

There was a general sigh from those who knew her, but most especially from Fili and Kili. Danica looked unsure, and took a step toward the door.

"Leave her," Thorin advised. "Deep down, she knows that you did what was right. Her pride is what is hurt more than anything,"

"He's right," Fili agreed. "Give her a couple of days, and she will come around,"

Danica nodded, but some of the strength seemed to have leaked out of her. Thorin looked at Dwalin, silently telling him to say something. Dwalin frowned, obviously not wanting to. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking.

"If it makes ye feel better, Lass, ye were right to keep it from us. I am still debating on whether or not I am going to go down and finish that traitor,"

"Shall we go down together?" Kili joked, breaking the tension as some laughed.

"I am just happy you didn't run away," Ori said, smiling sweetly.

Danica looked at Thorin, taking his hand again. "Me too,"


	24. Chapter 24

**A.N.** Wow. What a crazy world we live in right now. Thank God, it has not affected my life too much, other than my husband being grounded at his academy until he graduates. We're hoping that will be in May. This will be the longest he and I will have ever been apart. However, I know this is nothing compared to the trials so many others are facing. If any of you reading this are one of those whose lives have been detrimentally altered, I am praying for you, and hope my stories can lighten your load a little. We are all in this together.  
 **ChelseaSW6:** Those are certainly hard habits to break, aren't they? Lol.  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

-18 hours prior:

Thorin had picked up the habit of pacing the battlements when he had free time. The letter from Di̒s had sais that they were on their way home, but something was wrong. Her words were short, and seemed cold. She had detailed their rescue by Nathir, and mentioned that there were some complications, but that everyone was fine. Instead of comforting him, her words had his heart plummeting. When he showed it to Fili, Kili, and Balin, they were just as concerned. To the rest of their people, they made sure to act confident, but their anxiety rose every day. Each time Thorin would ascend the steps to the battlements, the guards would give him plenty of space and silence. Durin's Day was only a month off, and any cloud felt like it could bring the first snow of the season. Thorin looked out over the night-soaked valley, then up to Dale, which was nearly rebuilt. Movement caught his eyes from the valley, but it was too dark for him to make out any details.

"Riders!" one of the sentries called.

They waited for Thorin to give an order, but he was squinting at the dark figures, desperately trying to make out who they were. When he saw the long, braided hair, he sprinted for the stairs.

"Open the gate!" he called.

The two riders were just coming through when he reached the bottom. He helped Danica dismount, and then immediately pulled her into his arms. Distantly, he could hear some calls saying that the queen had returned.

"Thank Mahal you are safe," he breathed.

She relaxed into him for only a moment, then leaned back, face anxious. "Thorin, we have to talk,"

He looked past her, but only she and Nathir were there. "Where are the others?"

"On their way. We made sure to leave before them,"

"Why? What has happened?"

Her brows tilted inward, but he could see a glimmer of amusement. "May we talk somewhere else?" she asked, eyes moving to the growing group of onlookers.

Nodding, he led her and Nathir to the council chamber, and summoned Fili, Kili, and Balin. He also made sure food and water were brought for the weary travelers. Upon arrival, his nephews instantly went to Danica, and wrapped her in hugs. Word of her return must have spread quickly. When Kili swept her off her feet in a twirl, her laugh bounced off the walls, and seemed to brighten the whole mountain. Kili also gave Nathir a handshake, telling him that it was good to see him alive.

"It does my heart good to see you, Lass," Balin began, "but why is it just the two of you?"

They all sat, waiting for her answer. She sighed, and they could tell that she was nervous.

"One of the dwarves you sent, Fetir; I believe he went with the intention of making sure I did not return here,"

Thorin frowned, along with the others. "What makes you think so?"

It wasn't a very long tale, particularly with Nathir filling in his own observations. When they finished, Thorin looked at the others for their reactions, not completely trusting his own. Unfortunately, all eyes were on him. His anger and pain drowned everything else, making it difficult to focus on reason.

"So, he persuaded you to escape, sensing your reluctance to return, and then helped you to do it?"

Danica paused at his cold tone. "Yes, but- "

"Is there any kind of a precedence for this?" Thorin asked Balin. "Conspiracy to separate a king from his One?"

"I do not believe so," Balin replied, pretending to be oblivious to the shift in Thorin's mood.

"We should arrest him the moment he shows his traitorous face," Kili spat savagely.

"For what?" Fili countered. "I am just as furious as you, but, as far as it appears, he only helped Danica do what he believed she wished to do,"

"Not knowing that she would never abandon her betrothed," Nathir said in defense of Danica.

Fighting against irritation toward the man, Thorin looked at his nephews. "Fili is right. We need to catch him in the act of deceit. As it happens, I did not fully trust Fetir's intentions, and neither did his kinsman, Carn. Carn came to me, and we decided that he would keep on eye on Fetir. We will have to see what is said when they arrive. How far ahead of them would you say you were?"

"Half a day, maybe more," Nathir replied. "We left before they went to bed, and have ridden harder than they would be able,"

"I left a letter," Danica said. "It kept with the false narrative of me wanting to leave, but gave an apology and promise of return. If he does plan to turn you against me, he will either hide the letter, or twist the words,"

They discussed a plan for what they would say, and how they could trick Fetir. It meant whisking the coming group away before they could hear talk of Danica's return. Afterward, Thorin excused everyone to get some sleep, and made sure Nathir would have a room. He kept Danica behind. She looked guilty, which only made him feel as though his negative emotions were valid. Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the table, and looked at her.

"You did not want to come back," it wasn't a question, and he found he couldn't keep the heat of anger from his voice.

"I wanted to return to you," she responded softly. "But I was afraid of the responsibility, and of you never letting me have a moment alone again,"

He took in her appearance; so small, beautiful, and frail. Her strong mind and heart couldn't protect her from the physical harm he was so afraid of. Yet, as he looked closer, he marveled at the difference in her. She was not the meek, unsure woman who had left. Even her current guilt couldn't hide the confidence she had found.

"Can you fault me for wanting to protect you? Especially after everything that has happened?"

She shook her head, and a small, sad smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "No. And I understand that privacy and free time are not luxuries often afforded to those in positions of power. Even if I were not to have all the duties of a monarch, I understand what comes with marrying you, and I accept it,"

"Do you? Do you truly, and with all your heart, accept what it means to be my wife?" it was the question he feared most to ask, but the one that most needed an answer.

Once again, she shook her head, and he could see the pleading in her eyes for him to believe her. "I never had a life, or identity of my own, until you appeared in my dreams. My purpose was to save you, and then I found new life in being loved by you, and becoming a part of this beautiful culture. Yes, having the freedom to do as I wished, when I wished was intoxicating, but nothing, nothing compares to being with you,"

She walked toward him, and placed her hands on his crossed arms. "If I had truly left, I would have been constantly searching for happiness and purpose. The only place I have that is by your side. Please forgive my momentary madness. I will even accept being followed around by guards for the rest of my days so long as those days, and nights are spent as your wife,"

Her sincerity was undeniable, and her sweetness had his anger melting away. "Do you have any idea the hold you have on me?" he whispered. "That you could make me feel so betrayed one moment, and then so under your control the next? Of course I forgive you. But can you promise me something?"

"What is it?" she asked, and he could detect no hesitation or reluctance in her voice.

"From now on, we do everything together, and there will be no secrets between us,"

Her lips lifted in a true smile, before she pressed them to his. "Agreed. I love you,"

"I love you,"

They kissed again, but this time, she wrapped her arms around his neck, closing any distance. His hands caressed her sides and back, softly at first, but quickly growing in eagerness. In a move that almost floored him, Danica slid her tongue over his, and moaned. Knowing his control was hanging by a thread, Thorin broke the kiss, and tried to catch his breath.

"We should get to bed," he said gruffly. "You had a long journey, and- "

"I don't care," Danica silenced him with another kiss. "I know where my place is. I have missed you so much, and I want you,"

Heat erupted through him, and it took every ounce of willpower he had to think through the lust as she assaulted his mouth again.

"Not here," he managed. "There is a secret way to my chambers from here,"

They barely made it through the door to his bedchamber before they were shedding their clothes. The desperate way she clung to him erased all his previous fears and doubts. Together, they fell on the bed, and arched into each other, savoring the feel of skin on skin. Every part of her was soft and warm, and he took his time tasting all of her with his lips and tongue. She writhed beneath him, groaning in a way he had never heard from her before.

"Thorin," his name was a breathless plea on her lips, and had more effect than any other word would have.

Bringing himself level with her, he eased into her. At first, their harried, recklessness disappeared. They moved slowly and deeply, taking in every sensation. Danica changed the pace first, moving her hips faster against his. Once they rose again in blind need, it only took a few strokes for him to reach his peak. He growled into her neck, his final, shuddering movements causing her to cry out with her own climax. Winded, and feeling like warm wax, he dropped beside her, keeping an arm wrapped around her waist. It took them both a while to catch their breath. When he could, Thorin let out a small chuckle.

"I had meant to wait until we were married," he lamented.

Danica laughed, and stroked his arm with her fingertips. "Honorable, but quite a lofty goal; all things considered,"

"Well, I wasn't expecting to nearly lose you every time you walked out of the door,"

"A fair point," she turned her head, and gave him a peck. "Do you regret any of it?"

Lifting a hand, he touched her cheek. She was glowing, and looked lovelier than any woman of any race he had ever seen. "So long as I get to marry you, and keep you by my side, I regret nothing,"

Her eyes misted, and she let out a peaceful sigh. "I am yours, Thorin Oakenshield,"

"Aye. And I am yours," he kissed her temple. "Welcome home,"


	25. Chapter 25

**A.N.** Alas, my friends, we have reached the end of another story. I didn't think I'd feel sad, but I do as I write this. Kinda blows my mind how far this story has come. What had started out as an idea for maybe seven chapters turned into this big adventure. Still, as one door closes, another opens. Not only will I continue to update on "What Dreams May Come," I also have another story in the works. I just can't help myself. It's becoming an addiction. Do they have support groups for that?  
 **ChelseaSW6:** I'm so glad my stories, and those of others have been helping. We all need all the comfort we can get these days. While I'm not on Tik Tok, I know so many people who are, and I have been binging on "America's Next Top Model," so my brain has also been much younger. Lol. I hope you and your family are keeping safe and healthy! Thank you for commenting so diligently!  
To everyone out there who has seen this story through, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. These stories come from my imagination, and my heart, and it means the world that they may mean something to someone else. I hope you are all staying safe out there, and are able to find some peace and comfort in this crazy world. Farewell for now, and I hope you will take the time to check out some of my other works. Thank you!  
 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

In the coming days, Thorin hosted a feast for the successful return of all their people. At the feast, he announced his betrothal to the Lady Danica Braveheart. The people cheered, and excitedly prepared for the festivities. Folk from all over Middle Earth were invited to attend, and it was celebrated by many races for nearly a week. Bilbo came from the Shire, and some of the Mirkwood elves attended, along with the men of Dale. Di̒s' anger abated, and she became one of Danica's closest friends and confidents. She stood beside her sons and watched as, for the first time in history, a human woman was crowned Queen Under the Mountain. After, trade in the north flourished, and the region became strongly united in a way never seen before. Both the King and Queen Under the Mountain were beloved by their subjects, and feared by the enemy.

The queen bore a song not long after the wedding, and the kingdom rejoiced in having another heir. Thrain III became crowned prince, with the full blessing of Fili. He and Kili remained long enough to help stave off some of the orc raids, then traveled back to Ered Luin. They had received word that those who had stayed needed help stabilizing society. Fili was made Lord of the Blue Mountains, and, with the help of his brother, brought that kingdom to unprecedented glory. Dain returned to the Iron Hills, where he strengthened the east against Sauron's growing forces. Eventually, Balin began setting his sights on Moria. He began making plans for an expedition, and asked for Kili to be his heir if he were to recover that homeland.

It was this that weighed on Danica's mind as she looked out over the lush, peaceful valley. Thorin had commissioned a balcony be built for her outside of their quarters, knowing how she craved open air. While mostly hidden from view of others, she had a good view of the world, and there had been enough room within the side of the mountain that it was possibly the largest balcony built. The air had been balmy enough that she had brought the baby's bassinet out, so her newborn could enjoy the stars with her. This little girl was her youngest, and last. Dani had been born barely a year after her brother, and it had taken a toll on Danica's body. She wouldn't be able to have any more children. After having five, she felt sad, but not incredibly so. Three boys; Thrain, Frerin, and Dacin. Two girls; Fioren, and Dani. Both Di̒s and Thorin had been in with all of them, except Dani. They had both been visiting Fili and Kili, and had been on their way back when Danica had suddenly, and unexpectedly gone into labor.

Right away, she'd known something was wrong. There was far too much blood and pain. However, just as she had with Fioren, she'd had a vision as Dani was being born about all of them happy and healthy. Apparently, the Sight passed through only the females. Besides the times she was pregnant, and having her girls, she hadn't had any more visions. In Dani's vision, not only had she seen them all happy and healthy, she had also seen death and darkness in Moria. Over the past couple of months, she had kept it to herself, not wanting to extinguish everyone's hope and excitement. Unfortunately, she knew she had to at least tell Thorin. His overprotectiveness had gotten better recently. It had reached an all-time high when he'd returned to find her nearly dead, with their baby girl being taken care of by a wet nurse because she was too weak to do it herself.

"Danica?"

Speak of the king, himself. Smiling, Danica turned and held a hand out to him. He took it, joining her while looking down at their sleeping daughter. Unlike all their other children, she'd been born with her mother's lighter hair, and grey eyes.

"Are you alright out here?" he asked softly, trying not to wake her.

"Don't worry. I am feeling much better, and the healers said I can start taking very short walks. Di̒s took Dacin for the night, since he was being a little demon. She figured since she had raised two, she could handle one,"

Thorin chuckled. "That child is about ten of my nephews. Thank goodness Thrain and Frerin are good at entertaining him,"

"At least someone is," Danica sighed, but felt a rush of affection. Truth be told, his antics made her smile more often than not. Thus far, their only level-headed child was Thrain. He took so much after his father. Looking down at Dani, she wondered if she would be another. Even as a baby, she was sweet, quiet, and rarely fussed. So different from the other four.

Thorin tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. With pregnancy and childbirth, her hair had become thick and unmanageable, so she kept it in a braid more often than not.

"What is troubling you?" he asked gently. "You seemed ill at ease when I found you,"

"Remember when I was pregnant with Fioren, and was having those dreams? Then, the vision of Thrain as king while I was giving birth?"

He nodded. "You had some with Dani as well. Did you have a vision while you were giving birth to her?"

She looked down at their daughter, so small and perfect. "It must have been because I was weaker, and therefore more susceptible, but it was stronger, and I saw more. I saw all of us, happy and healthy in a few years. Each one of our children as beautiful as the next. But there was darkness as well. The same darkness we have seen slowly spreading for the past few years. It seeped throughout the north, and into the Misty Mountains,"

"Moria," Thorin sighed, understanding. "We have all been wary, given what has happened there in the past. Yet, I do not think Balin will be swayed, and now there are many who would go with him. Did you see their fates?"

"No. Just darkness," and it terrified her, but she knew he was right, and no one would listen to the vision of a woman who was delirious and near death. "Do you think Kili would heed me though? Stay in the Blue Mountains?"

Thorin looked out to the valley. "Fili has already told me that Kili does not wish to be Lord of any kingdom. He was already planning on visiting soon to personally give Balin his thanks, and refusal,"

Danica's shoulders dropped with relief. "Good. One less thing on my mind," head suddenly feeling light, she had Thorin carry Dani's bassinet back into their room, and laid back down. Once Dani was settled, he joined Danica in bed. As he had done so many nights before, he stroked her arm, and kissed down her neck, as if comforting himself with the presence of her pulse.

"There was one more thing I saw," Danica said, turning her head so she could look in his eyes. "We will never again be parted. Not even by death. When it is our time, when we are old and grey, we will be laying where we are now, and draw our last together,"

He looked back at her, just gazing into her eyes for a time. Then, he kissed her softly on the lips. "'Not even death,'" he repeated. "I believe we can work with that. And when we reach Mahal's door, if he will not allow you to enter, then I will not enter,"

Danica laughed. "Then we will wander together forever,"

"I do not believe that will be necessary. For all you have done for Mahal's children, he would surely allow you to rest with us,"

"So long as I am with you, I won't care,"

He gathered her into his arms, holding tight. "I love you. Thank you for this life you have given me,"

She kissed his jaw. "I love you too, but it is you who have given life to me. From the very beginning, before we met. One day, perhaps our girls will have some visions of it, and will see how much their mother and father were destined to be together,"

"We will tell them," he gave a small moan when she skimmed her fingers over his back. "When did the healers say you would be well again?"

She laughed. "If we take it easy, we can- "

Thorin's hands were careful, but his lips were not. "I have waited long enough, and feel I will die if I do not have you,"

"Well, we can't have you proving my vision wrong," Danica answered wryly. "Remember; not even death,"

"Not even death," and he continued to show her just how alive they still were.

 **P.S.** Thank you all so much! I love you all, and am eternally grateful.


End file.
